IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


V 


A 


/ 


5r     «:/^ 


1.0 


I.I 


If  liM  IIM 

■^   lai    IIIII22 

-  lis  iliio 


1.25  i  1.4 


1.6 


V] 


<^ 


/I 


/ 


^.^^ 


^w  .^\^i  ^^,' 


<p 


C"^    o>!, 


y 


>^ 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


fi  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


iV 


iV 


'<b 


\ 


^ 


o 


o^ 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
CoMection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


□ 

□ 
D 
D 
□ 


/ 


D 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagee 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pelliculde 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  geographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relie  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serree  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int6rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout^es 
lors  dune  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  et6  filmdes. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl6mentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mdthode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 


I      I    Coloured  pages/ 


V 


□ 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag6es 


□    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pelliculees 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d6color6es,  tachet^es  ou  piquees 


I      I    Pages  detached/ 


Pages  d^tach^es 

Showthrough; 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Qualite  inegale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materii 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 


r~~|    Showthrough/ 

I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I    Includes  supplementary  material/ 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalemert  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  film^es  d  nouveau  de  facon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film^  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqud  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


SOX 


7 

1 
1 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


J 

tails 
i  du 
odifier 
une 
mage 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  a(<d  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  whan  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^-  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


L'exemplaire  film*  fut  reproduit  grAce  A  la 
ginArositA  de: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  AtA  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  in  nettetA  de  I'exemplaire  fiim6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimie  sont  filmis  en  commen^ant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmis  en  commen^ant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symbofes  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ♦►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmds  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffirents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  filrn^  6  partir 
de  I'angle  sup^rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nicessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


trrata 
to 


pelure, 
n  d 


□ 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

^ 


/ 


w  u^-^^^p 


t  I 


83        Dana,   E.     A  Description  of  the  Bounty  Lands   in  the] 
State  of  Illinois  ;  also  the   Principal   Roads  and  Routes,  by- 
Land  and  Water,  through  the  Territory  of  the  United  States. 
8vo,  half   morocco,   uncut.       Cincinnati :    Looker,  Reynolds\ 
&  Co. ,  Printers,  1 8 1 9 .  ;^ 2  5 .00 

A  fine  uncut  copy  of   one  of  the  most  important  books  on  the 
Illinois  country. 


•Sfif^K       '    ■      '■■■    '<.^ 


■r:/r>>  -■«(■ 


.r 


fe'^ 


iVi        GIiOaT3lAT'^lC41i  Sl^^CUES^ 


0?r  THE 


WESTERN   COUNTRY: 

DESIGNED  FOR 
,       BEINQ  THE  BESUIT  OF  EXTENSIVE 

.     RESEARCHES  AND  REMARKS. 

TO  WUICU   IS  ADDED, 

SUMMARY  OF  AJJL  THE  MOST  INTERESTING  MATTERS 

ON  THE  SUBJECT, 

XKCLTTOISrS 

A  PARTICULAR  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  UNSOLD 
#  PUBLIC  LANDS, 

«,  '■■-~ 

eOLLEOTED   FROM  A  VARIETY  OF   AUTHENTIC    SOURCES* 

ALSO, 

A  LIST  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL  ROADS.     M 
BY  E.  DANA. 


^,..^1 


/^ 


/f  CINCINNATI  J 
Looker,  Reynolds^Sc  Co.  Frinten. 


1819. 


^l 


v'ii^ 


*:    > 


Mi' 


-ill  (5^7  9f 


District  of  Ohio,  ss> 

Be  it  remembeued,  That  on  tlie  twenty -first  day  of  August,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  nineteen,  and  in  the 
forty -fouith  year  of  American  Independence,  E.  Dana  ,  of  sa;d  District, 
hatli  deposited  in  this  office  tlie  title  of  a  book,  the  right  whereof  he 
claims  as  autlior  and  proprietor,  in  the  words  following,  to  wit  : 

*'  Geographical  Sketches  on  the  Western  Country  :  designed  for 
Emigi-ants  and  Settlei-a :  being  the  result  of  extensive  researches 
and  remarks.  To  which  is  added,  a  summary  of  all  the  most 
interesting  matters  on  tlie  subject,  including  a  particular  desei-ip- 
tion  of  the  unsold  public  lands,  collected  from  a  variety  of  authen- 
tic sources.     Also,  a  list  of  the  principal  I'Xiads.     By  E.  Dana." 

In  conformity  to  an  act  of  tlie  Congi'css  of  the  United  States  of  Ame- 
rica, entitled  "  An  act  foi'  the  encouragement  of  learning,  by  securing 
the  copies  of  maps,  charts,  and  books,  to  the  authors  and  proprietors  of 
such  copies,  during  the  times  therein  mentioned."  And  also  to  the  act 
entitled  **  An  act  supplementary  to  the  act  entitled  '  An  act  for  the  en- 
couragement of  learning,  by  seciu'ing  the  copies  of  maps,  chai*ts,  and 
Jxioks,  to  the  autlxors  and  proprietors  of  such  copies,  during  the  times 
therein  mentioned,'  and  extending  the  benefit  thereof  to  the  arts  of  de- 
signing, engi-aving  and  etching  lustorical  and  otlier  prints." 


HARVEY  D.  EVANS, 

Clerk  of  the  District  of  01m. 


TO  THE  READER. 


After  spending  six  years,  mostly  among  the 
nativesj,  in  the  regions  bordering  upon  the  gi'uat 
western  Lakes,  the  Author  was  employed  by 
more  than  1300  people,  desirous  of  removing  to 
the  west,  to  select  and  purchase  for  them,  on  an 
extended  credit,  from  the  United  States,  a  large 
tract  of  land,  in  one  body,  convenient  for  perma- 
nent settlements.  In  peiforming  this  service,  two 
years  were  spent  laboriously  in  exploring  the 
western  xountry.  In  behalf  of  his  constituents 
he  at  length  preferred  a  petition  to  Congress,  in 
December,  1817>  for  a  gi-ant ;  but  his  application 
proved  unsuccessful. 

The  knowledge  acquired  from  his  travels,  per- 
sonal observations,  critical  remarks  and  enquiries, 
he,  by  the  advice  of  his  friends^  !:as  been  induced 
to  lay  before  the  public.  But  as  (for  the  want  of 
an  early  education)  the  Author  deemed  himself 
incompetent  to  present  his  communications  in 
language  proper  for  the  public  eye,  the  various 
materials  by  him  collected,  at  his  request,  have 
been  prepared  for  the  press  by  Reuben  Kidder, 
Counsellor  at  Law;  whose  acquaintance  with 
the  western  country,  from  four  years  residence, 
has  enabled  him  to  collect  a  fund  of  useful  in- 
formation, which  he .  Jjas  ^di£^^d  d)¥;QygJ)k«  t^ 

"riCIAL.  UI'I^.^AjR 
VIOTORiA,  B.  C.      V 


pk:: 


q  A 


%:%^ 


JV 


FREFACE. 


In  pursuing  our  labors,  we  have  not  lost  sight 
of  our  main  design,  which  was,  useful  instruc- 
tion to  emigrants  and  settlers  ;  connecting  a  ge- 
neral view  of  the  whole  ground,  with  a  more  par- 
ticular description  of  the  unsold  public  lands. 

We  have  incorporated  our  own  personal  ob- 
servations and  remarks  on  the  country,  with  the 
jtnost  important  information  that  could  be  obtain- 
ed from  the  public  commissioners  for  purchasing 
of  the  Indians  ;  from  divers  officers  stationed  in 
the  west  during  the  late  war  ;  from  public  sur- 
veyors ;  respectable,  well  informed  Indian  tra- 
ders, travellers  and  hunters  ;  and  from  the  most 
interesting  and  authentic  publications  extant. 

The  subject  we  treat  of,  embracing  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  whole  westeni  country,  is  so  exten- 
sive and  multifarious,  that  it  was  not  possible  to 
Comprehend  the  minute  details  of  every  part,  iu 
one  volume.  But  we  have  endeavored  to  omit 
nothing  intf^Testing  or  useful,  that  could  enable 
an  enquirer  to  form  correct  general  views  of  the 
whole,  while  he  acquired  more  particular  infor- 
mation respecting  all  the  public  lands  most  va- 
luable for  cultivation  and  the  objects  of  commerce. 

Such  as  the  work  is,  though  we  presume  not 

to  pronounce  it  so  complete  as  it  might  have  been 

ir^ndered,  had  it  been  committed  to  abler  hands, 

We  feel  confident,  that,  as  it  respects  the  design 

We  had  in  view,  so  much  useful  informatioiy|an 

tiot  be  found  compressed  into  so  small  a  coiiiflbs, 

on  the  same  subject. 

THE  AUTHO) 


y  --J  ^ 


t?^e1a1Jviix.\ux  iiEMan^-s. 


Contest  between  foreign  powers  for  possession.  General 
views.  Steam  boat  navigation.  J\*atnral  resources 
of  the  west.  Abundunt  means  of  national  prosperity. 
Source  of  support  for  a  dense  population.  General 
boundaries.  Face  of  the  country.  Hills  and  moun- 
tains. Principal  rivers.  Projected  canals.  Fertility 
of  soil.  J\*ative  productions.  ^Agricultural  remarks. 
Growth  of  timber.  Stones,  on  and  near  the  surface. 
Minerals.  Antiquities.  JVatural  curiosities.  Wild 
animals  and  fowls.  Fish.  Indian  tribes.  Boundary 
between  the  free  and  slave  states.  Cession  of  the 
Floridas.  First  settlement  of  the  western  country. 
Separation  of  the  eastern  from  the  Atlantic  states. 

The  discovery  of  the  new  world,  by  Christopher  Co* 
lumbus,  while  the  human  mind  had  scarcely  awoke  from 
the  ignorant  and  superstitious  slumbers  of  the  dark  agesw 
opened  to  the  nations  of  Europe  a  new  and  important 
theatre  of  action. 

The  abundance  of  the  precious  metals  in  the  south, 
tempted  the  avarice  of  the  Spaniards,  who  barbarously 
exterminated  the  innocent  natives,  and  seized  upon  theii* 
possessions,  underpretext  of  right  by  conquest. 

North  Americi^as  not  explored  by  the  Spaniard)^ 
English,  or  French,  until  a  much  later  period.  A  contest 
between  these  nations,  for  the  jurisdiction  of  tliis  then 
wilderness  temtory,  subsisted  with  but  little  w*' 

a2 


ilf 


mm 


6 


PRELIMINARY  UEMAHKS. 


'it 


tit 


sion  for  more  than  one  huiulred  and  fifty  years.  Dining 
nearly  the  half  of  this  peiiod,  they  were  exliausting  tlieir 
blood  and  treasure,  by  acts  of  national  hostilities  by  sea 
and  land.  Thus  zealous  were  tliose  foreign  combatants 
in  asserting  rights  which  belonged  to  neither.  At  lengtli 
the  French,  compelled  by  superior  force,  resigned  to  the 
English  their  claims  to  the  countiy  westward  of  the 
Mississippi.  The  English,  until  after  they  had  acquired 
this  territory,  had  confined  their  tratle  and  colonization 
to  the  Atlantic  provinces.  Indeed,  so  limited  was  their 
knowledge  of  this  counti-y,  that  at  the  treaty  of  1783, 
whicli  terminated  the  revolutionary  war,  tliey  deemed  it 
of  no  considerable  importance.  From  the  earliest  disco- 
very, the  possession  of  the  country  had  been  securetl  to 
a  politic  enemy,  as  well  by  forts  and  garrisons,  wliich  in 
a  manner  surrounded  the  country,  as  by  the  aptitude  of 
French  manners  to  gain  the  friendship  of  the  natives. — 
Thus  deprived  of  the  means  to  obtain  correct  information, 
the  calculating  policy  of  the  English  had  never  truly  es- 
timated the  great  extent  of  territory — tlie  general  fer- 
tility of  the  soil — the  extensiveness,  and  facility  of  navi- 
gating the  numerous  streams  that  intersect  the  country — 
and  the  charming  temperature  of  climate ;— qualities 
which  confer  so  important  aiid  permanent  a  value  on 
"^this  portion  of  the  United.States. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  section  of  country 
west  of  the  Alleganies,  till  of  late  the  sole  residence  of 
the  untutored  savage,  and  the  haunt  of  wild  beasts,  now 
presents  to  the  speculation  of  the  j^itical  philosopher, 
an  interesting  subject  for  contemplawon.  It  possesses 
the  natural  means  of  subsisting  a  more  dense  and  nume- 
rous population,  than  the  one  half  of  modern  Europe.r- 
The  country  is  spacious,  extending  from  tlxe  Atlantic  t« 


PREL1MIXAU\  REMARKS. 


y  es- 
fer- 
navi- 


tlie  Pacific  ocean.  The  climate,  though  generally  tem- 
perate, is  80  iliverse  in  the  several  parts,  as  to  be  capable 
of  furnishing  the  conveniences,  indeed  nipst  of  the  luxu- 
rie«,  of  all  other  countries.  The"  soil,  though  greatly  va- 
rying in  so  wiele  a  range,  is  generally  deep,  strong  a»id 
durable.  In  many  parts  of  the  country,  such  is  the  fer- 
tility, that  the  strength  of  the  soil-seems  inexhaustible  by 
culture,  without  manuring.  The  intelligent,  patriotic 
statesman,  surveys  with  pleasant  and  curious  emotions, 
^le  natural  facility  of  transporting  native  produce  and 
foreign  articles  of  necessity  on  gi^eat  rivers,  intersecting 
a  vast  inland  country  in  divers  directions,  navigable  for 
vessels  of  large  burden  for  thousands  of  miles. 

By  the  power  of  steam,  which  now  propels  more  tliah 
one  hundred  large  vessels  on  the  western  waters,  naviga- 
tion on  rivers  is  rendered  more  secure  and  expeditious,, 
than  on  the  open  sea,  in  the  ordinary  way.  Thus  has 
the  western  farmer,  by  the  instrumentality  of  bteam  boats 
on  navigable  waters,  hundreds  of  miles  from  the  ocean, 
daily  opportunities  of  exchanging,  at  his  own  door,  the 
produce  of  his  rural  labors  for  such  foreign  articles  as 
habit  has  made  convenient  or  desirable.  So  generally  is 
almost  every  section  of  the  western  country  intersected 
by  navigable  rivers,  running  to  opposite  points  from 
nearly  the  same  sources,  in  a  manner  interlocking,  or 
separated  only  by  narrow  portages,  pouringtheir  waters 
northwardly  into  a  '^heet  of  fresh  water  lakes  of  more 
than  two  thousand  miles  in  extent,  and  eastwardly  into 
the  Atlantic  oceag^ — that  the  whole  territory  may  be 
aptly  resembled^K  a  cluster  of  islands,  or  rather  to  a 
spacious  champaign,  excavated  in  all  parts  by  the  fonna- 
tion  of  navigable  canalo,  intersecting  each  other  in  every 
direction. 


8 


rUELlMlNARY  REMARKS. 


What  a  source  of  national  thrift  may  be  anticipated 
by  the  enlightened,  contemplative  patriot,  from  a  country 
ftO  extensive,  s^ll  fresh,  an  it  were,  from  tlie  hand  of  na- 
ture, aboundijjg  in  meins  not  only  to  support  a  dense 
population  at  home,  but  also  to  supply  all  the  demands 
of  foreign  markets,  both  with  provisions,  and  the  ra>y 
materials  tor  manufactures  !  What  motives  to  stimulate 
to  agrfeultural  and  commr^rcial  industry !  What  natural 
resources  of  subsisting  millions  of  human  beings  !  But, 
as  it  might  be  thought  more  prudent,  perhaps,  to  shroud 
a  little  this  picture  of  natlt)nal  strength  and  felicity, 
which  a  love  of  country  delights  to  view  in  prospective, 
we  waive*  the  subject,  lest  we  may  seem  romantic  or 
visionary. 

The  western  states  are  situated  in  that  happy  medium 
of  climate,  between  extreme  heat  and  cold,  where  a  tem- 
perature of  the  human  constitution,  most  favorable  to 
health,  may  be  preserved ;  and  the  means  of  sustaining 
life,  from  the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  most  easily  obtained. 
It  would  seem  that  man,  thus  secured  from  the  annoy- 
ance of  those  sensations  which  are  produced  by  northern 
blasts,  and  scorching  suns,  possessed  here  the  most  cer- 
tain means  of  perfecting  his  nature ;  and  that  the  ener- 
gies of  his  mind,  when  aroused  to  action,  and  directed 
by  the  most  proper  natural  and  moral  influence,  might 
ain  the  highest  point  of  maturity  of  which  his  mental 
faculties  are  susceptible.  In  Greece  and  Rome,  more 
than  two  thousand  years  ago,  the  vigor  and  ingenuity  of 
the  human  intellect,  from  natural  andbnoral  causes,  not 
unlike  those  which  now  operate  on  theVinerican  citizens 
of  the  western  states,  were  displayed  in  a  manner  which 
excited  the  wonder  and  admiration  of  the  world.  The 
impulse  which  civil  freedom  imparted  to  those  ancient 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


« 


republicans,  inspired  them  with  lofty  notions  of  liberty 
and  independence,  and  inclined  them  to  bold  and  arduous 
Undertakings.  ITie  human  mind,  thus  put  in  motion  by 
the  influence  of  causes  most  favorable  to  mental  exer- 
tions, the  whole  nation  was  directed,  by  multifarious 
pursuits,  in  those  arts  which  subserve  and  ailorn  human 
life ;  and  in  those  sciences  which  shed  light  and  know- 
ledge on  the  moral  and  natural  world.  Such  has  beei| 
the  progress  of  human  knowledge,  and  the  prosperous 
state  of  nations,  in  ancient  republics,  when  fostered  by 
the  freedom  of  enquiry,  and  other  propitious  causes. 

So  great  an  influence  has  civil  government  in  ^ping 
the  mental  features  of  a  community,  it  is  n«"  strange 
that  the  wisdom  of  illustrious  statesmen  and  L  wgivers, 
should  have  caused  them  to  hare  been  cUsHed  an;  jng  the 
gods.  It  is  wonderful,  that  a  science  so  intimate  y  con- 
nected wicn  the  welfare  of  man,  as  that  of  civil  govem- 
nki^tit,  should,  amidst  the  extraordinary  progress  of  gene- 
ral science,  have  been  no  imperfectly  understood,  till  so 
late  a' period  as  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century. 
But  it  seems  to  have  been  reserved  for  the  sages  of  the 
American  revolution,  successfully  to  embody  into  a  wise, 
practical  system  of  free  government,  an  assemblage  of 
maxims  and  principle;:,  that  had  remained  disjointed  and 
scattered  through  works  on  civil  polity,  that  had  been 
accumulating  ifrom  the  researches  and  remarks  of  men 
who  speculated  on  tiie  science  of  government,  for  ages. 

The  citizens  of  the  eastern  states,  although  two  cen- 
turies have  elapsed  since  their  first  settlement,  can 
hardly  be  consid^ed  as  having  formed  a  uniform  na- 
tional character.  Their  progenitors  were  emigrants  from 
different  parts  of  Europe—- English,  Scotch,  French,  High 
and  Low  Dutch,    Having  settled  themselves  down  in  a 


10 


PUELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


I 


kind  of  clans,  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  mother 
country  have  been  but  partially  obliterated  in  their  de- 
scendants, by  the  collision  of  a  social  intercourse.  In 
this  western  country,  the  settlers  being  more  promiscu- 
ously located,  will  form  an  identity  of  opinions,  of  man- 
ners and  customs.  Each  emigrant  retaining  and  giving 
up  a  part  of  what  is  peculiar  to  himself,  a  new  character 
will  be  produced  from  the  various  materials  constituting 
the  compound,  which  may  with  propriety  be  denominated 
national.  Hence  will  eventually  be  formed  a  more  dis~ 
tinguishable  nationality  of  character.  From  such  a  com- 
bination of  characteristic  peculiarities,  a  selection  of  the 
best  modes  of  pursuing  the  useful  arts,  and  of  those. prac- 
tical inventions  that  subserve  the  grand  purposes  of  sus- 
taining and  adorning  human  life,  will  naturally  follow. 
By  such  efficient  means  of  exciting  laudable  curiosity, 
and  of  imparting  a  fresh  impulse  to  enterprising  industry, 
most  skilfully  bestowed  on  useful  mechanical  labors ;  on 
multiplying  the  conveniences  of  good  living ;  on  develop- 
ing the  resources  of  a  new  country ;  and  on  exploring 
the  latent  recesses  of  virgin  nature ; — ^may  we  not  con- 
fidently hope,  that  the  arts  which  abridge  manual  labor 
will  be  improved— that  the  stock  of  useful  knowledge 
will  be  increased — and  that  the  condition  of  man  will 
generally  be  ameliorated  ? 

In  these  western  states,  nature  has  offered  to  the  skil- 
ful industry  of  man  abundant  resources  for  food  and  rai- 
ment ;  and  she  has  also  supplied  him  amply  with  the 
means  of  national  defence  against  foreign  aggression.—- 
The  soil  and  the  climate  combine  to  provide  him,  by  a 
moderate  portion  of  labor,  the  various  materials  that  con- 
stitute a  palatable  and  nourishing  diet,  to  a  degree  that 
might  be  considered  luxurious.    Flax,  hemp  and  cotton 


I 
* 


iH 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


11 


plants,  shoot  up  almost  spotaneously  from  the  soil ;  the 
mulberry  of  the  forest  feeds  the  silk  worm ;  and  the  spa- 
cious grazing  Iands»  the  sheep.  Thus  may  the  raw  ma- 
terials, with  little  care  and  toil,  be  furnished,  not  only  to 
protect,  but  to  adorn  the  human  body.  The  numerous 
beds  of  iron  ore,  the  lead  mines,  and  the  extensive  salt 
petre  caves,  hold  out  to  the  citizens  the  natural  means 
of  securing  the  independence  and  of  defending  the  liber- 
ties of  their  country. 

The  liberal  policy  of  the  general  government  has  pro- 
vided funds,  from  the  sale  of  public  lands,  to  facilitate 
a  communication  from  the  seaboard,  through  the  interior 
of  each  new  state ;  and  have  already,  in  pursuance  of 
their  design,  nearly  completed  a  public  highway,  from 
the  seat  of  the  national  government,  as  far  as  the  Ohio. 
This  great  nadonal  work,  of  digging  down  tlie  high  rug- 
ged hills,  and  filling  up  the  vallies,  while  it  remains  a 
proud  monument  to  after  ages  of  the  wise  policy,  bold 
design,  and  skilful  achievement  of  the  American  people^ 
will  strengthen  the  bond  of  union  which  connects^ 
eastern  with  the  western  states. 

Our  na  ional  council  have  not  been  unmin( 
most  efficacious  means  of  perpetuating  our  c^ 
having  provided  a  permanent  fund  for  thej 
cation  of  youth,  by  granting  to  the  inhabJ 
township,  consisting  of  six  miles  square, 
sixth  part,  that  is  640  acres.    And  they 
tended  the  eTect  of  their  patriotic  motive^ 
generation,  I  y  granting  to  the  people  of  ea 
two  entire  townships,  that  is  45,680  acres, 
pose  of  endowing  public  seminaries  of  learning"^ 
competent  fuuds  for  iifttruction.  j^i. 


12 


PRELIMINAIIY  RtiMAEKS. 


With  such  abundant  means  provided  by  nature  for  the 
wants  of  the  body,  and  by  tlie  government  for  the  wants 
of  the  mind,  it  would  seem  that  nothing  was  lacking  to 
render  the  citizens  of  these  «tates  as  wi^e  and  happy,  as 
human  society,  taken  in  mass,  are  susceptible  of  becom- 
in^Vbut  a  want  of  duty  t|f  themselves. 

Virtuous  propensities,* correct  principles,  intelligent 
U9,4^^^Qd^"a^»  and^^ilful  industry,  are  the  substantial 
pillars  (^n  which  free  republics  rest.  Such  institutions, 
without  Hem,  are  mere  hay  and  stubble.  Public  opinion 
is  a  phjsieal  power,  that  like  a  magic  charm  directs  and 
8hap(B|^to  its  purpose  free  civil  governments ;  the  pro- 
ceedings of  which  wiU  'be  marked  by  wisdom  or  folly, 
liberty  or  oppression,  according  as  the  one  or  the  other 
preponderates  in  the  great  body  politic,  whose  public 
functionaries  ordain  the  laws.  Nothing  is  more  clear, 
than  that  the  stability  and  permanency  of  a  free  state, 
depend  on  the  patriotic  intelligence  of  the  people  who 
jompo9«!'4t    And  while  the  minds  of  such  a  people  are 

tnfi^y  and  generally  imbued  with  enlightened  and  cor- 

Igticiples,  the  policy  by  which  they  are  governed 

2r  be  weak,  nor  wicked,  nor  can  it  come  to  an 


comport  with  our  design,  to  give  complete 

Tor  geological  descriptions  of  the  extensive 

try  concerning  which  we  treat.   Such  a  work 

ire  the  uninterrupted  researches  of  a  long 

Jd  fill  the  pages  of  many  a  folio  volume*— 

rhas  been,  to  give  mere  sketches,  that  would 

^^^     ^  a  birdsey  e  view,  the  great  western  country  to 

rSnugmiits,  desirous  of  seeking  li  permanent  residence, 

whmie  they  can  pleasantly  locate  themselves,  and  build 

up  their  fortunes.  By  such  a  general  survey*  in  miniature« 


% 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


IS 


a  purchaser  will  be  enabled  to  select  mote  understand- 
ingly,  a  spot  for  a  new  home,  on  the  unsold  public  lands; 
as  a  correct  and  particular  description  of  which,  as  the 
best  sources  of  information  could  afford,  has  been  our 
main  design. 

That  extensive  tract  of  territory,  over  which  the  Uni- 
ted States  now  claim  jurisdiction,  is  divided  into  twa 
distinct  portions,  by  a  great  natural  boundary.  The 
western  portion  is  separated  from  the  eastern,  by '^e  long 
range  of  high  lands,  denominated  the  AUeganks,  con- 
sisting of  an  assemblage  of  mountains,  generally  conti- 
nuous, but  occasionally  so  interrupted,  branched  out,  and 
depressed,  by  chasms  and  valleys,  as  to  pennit  larg^  tri- 
butary streams  to  flow  through  in  opposite  directions,  to- 
wards the  Atlantic  ocean,  and  the  waters  of  the  Missis- 
sippi. These  mountains  extend  from  Angelica,  in  the 
western  part  of  the  state  of  New  York,  southwardly,  ta 
Mobile  bay,  in  the  state  of  Alabd!ma. 

The  tract  we  assume  to  describe,  is,  according  to  the 
late  British  treaty,  bounded  on  the  north  by  a  long  sheet 
of  lake  waters,  to  and  through  the  Lake  of  the  Woods, 
and  from  thence  as  far  north  as  latitude  49° — ^thence  west 
over  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  the  Pacific  ocean-— thence, 
according  to  the  late  Spanish  treaty,  on  the  west  by 
the  watero  of  the  Pacific  to  north  latitude  42** — from 
thence  due  east  to  the  source  of  the  Arkansaw — ^thence 
on  the  south  bank  thereof  to  west  longitude  100^-^ 
thence  due  south  to  the  Red  river— thence  on  the  south 
banit  of  that  river  southeastwardly  to  the  northwest  limit 
(^  the  state  of  Louisiana — thence  ismuthwardly  on  the 
west  Knis  thereof  to  the  Sabine  river«-^thence  on  the  west 
bonk  thereof  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico-^h^nce  to  a  point 
about  south  of  the  most  #outhwestwiiirdlj  Allegany  ridgt 
---^iwe  northwardly  to  said  ridge* 


:fjlttit,itii'v4ll.^ft 


mm 


14! 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


I 


Ir      &i 


ni 


I. 


1  I 


In  the  region  lying  about  300  miles  west  of  the  Mis- 
souri, nature  seems  to  have  formed  a  boundary  that  will 
fix  limits  to  the  permanent  habitation  of  man.  Here 
most  of  that  great  expanse  of  country,  spreading  out  to 
the  Pacific  ocean,  is  a  wild  waste,  in  a  manner  devoid  of 
wood  and  water,  consisting  of  spacious  prairies,  hills  and 
mountains,  productive  only  of  scanty  vegetation,  except 
on  the  margin  of  water  courses.  Lakes  or  running 
streams  of  pure  water  are  rarely  to  be  found — and  al- 
though some  long  rivers  flow  through  this  immense  de- 
sert in  the  rainy  seasons,  they  are  generally  so  languid 
and  dried  up  in  the  summer  months,  as  to  afford  but  oc- 
casional means  of  slaking  the  thirst  of  the  disconsolate 
traveller.  It  is  however  perhaps  fortunate,  as  it  r-eepects 
the  long  duration  of  the  American  republic,  so  extensive 
in  temtory,  that  nature  has  opposed  a  barrier  other  than 
the  ocean,  on  the  west,  to  the  migration  of  emigrants  and 
the  expansion  of  population. 

The  most  valuable  portion  of  the  western  lands  be- 
longing to  the  United  States,  lies  between  29°  and  42° 
north  latitude,  being  nearly  one  thousand  miles  in  extent 
from  lake  Michigan  on  the  north,  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 
The  above  mentioned  boundaries,  with  the  exception  of 
Michigan  and  the  northwestern  territory,  includes  per- 
haps hearly  all  the  public  lands,  which  will  be  considered 
a  subject  of  enquiry  for  permanent  settlements  during 
the  present  century. 

In  giving  a  general  description  of  the  western  country, 
it  has  been  thought  expedient  to  deviate  from  the  beaten 
track  of  geographers,  by  presenting  a  view  of  the  great 
outlines  which  distinguish  the  natural  face  of  the  coun- 
try. Accordingly,  disregarding  the  artificial  divisions  by 
states  and  territories,  we  shall  give  under  one  head  the 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


15 


principal  ranges  of  mountains  and  hills,  which  constitute 
the  sources  of  the  head  waters  of  the  great  rivers.  After 
which  we  shall  describe  the  principal  rivers,  and  give  di- 
vers other  sketches  of  the  natural  history  of  the  country. 

Of  the  High  Lands  which  give  source  to  the  streams 
running  in  opposite  directions,  that  feed  the  g.eat  rivers, 
and  constitute  the  prominent  features  on  the  face  of  the 
country,  the  Allegany  on  the  east,  and  the  Rocky  and 
Chippewan  mountains  on  the  west,  are  the  principal. 

The  Rocky  Mountains  range  from  the  frozen  re- 
gions of  the  north,  nearly  in  a  south  direction  towards  the 
Andes,  of  which  they  may  be  considered  a  continuation, 
and  to  which  they  are  supposed  in  extent  and  magnitude 
to  be  little  inferior.  They  form  the  great  natural  boun- 
dary, which  separates  the  head  waters  that  fall  into  the 
Pacific  ocean  from  those  that  flow  into  the  Mississippi 
valley.  The  highest  peak,  which  is  immensely  elevated, 
is  in  north  latitude  41°  and  is  thought  to  be  the  tabU 
land  of  North  America.  From  this  point  many  of  the 
greatest  rivers  take  their  rise  ;  among  which  is  the  Cole- 
rudo  of  Calafornia,  the  Rio  del  Norte,  the  Arkansaw, 
the  La  Platte  and  the  Yellow  rivers. 

A  few  degrees  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  is  t\ie 
Chippewan  Range  of  mountains,  which  originate  near 
tlie  arctic  circle,  and  extending  in  a  direction  nearly 
parallel  to  the  coast  of  the  Paciiic  ocean,  is  continued  on 
and  spreads  into  high  table  lands  in  the  province  ^f 
Mexico.  y^ 

What  is  denominated  the  Masserne  Range  is  that 
part  f^^  the  Chippewan  mountains  which  lies  between 
the  Arkansaw  and  Red  rivers,  near  to  and  parallel  with 
the  latter,  extending  a  southwestwardly  course  from 
about  north  latitude  39°  to  34° — from  thence  winding  its 


15 


FUELIMINART  REMARKS. 


t      '^ 


bourse  northeastwardly  a  few  miles,  it  is  divided  into 
two  branches :  the  left  is  continued  over  and  from  the 
Arkaosaw  northwardly  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Osage ; 
and  the  right,  eastwardly  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Arkan- 
saw  to  near  its  mouth.  This  mountain  is  supposed  to 
be  rich  in  minerals,  although  no  scientific  research  has 
yet  been  made.  The  warm  springs  on  the  Washita  are 
situated  on  the  spurs  of  this  ridge. 

There  is  a  long  chain  of  hills,  which  generally  sepa- 
rate the  waters  of  the  Missouri  from  those  of  the  Arkan- 
saw  and  Mississippi.  The  hills  in  the  White  river  coun- 
try, and  those  west  of  the  Mississippi  towards  the  head 
of  the  St.  Francis  and  the  Maramack,  so  abundant  in 
minerals,  may  be  considered  the  dependencies  of  the 
Black  mountains,  between  the  upper  part  of  the  Washita 
and  the  Arkansaw ;  between  the  upper  part  of  which 
rivers  are  diverse,  high,  rugged  hills. 

A  ridge  of  hills  leaves  the  Mississippi  about  twenty 
miles  above  the  mouth  of  tlie  Ohio,  and,  extending  south- 
west, divides  the  waters  that  flow  south  into  the  St.  Fran- 
cis and  White  rivei"Si  from  those,  whose  course  is  direct- 
ed northeast  of  the  Missouri  and  Mississippi  rivers.—- 
This  extensive  range  of  hills  divides  the  Missouri  coun- 
try into  two  distinct  natural  portions. 

A  range  of  high  lands  commences  above  the  junction 
of  the  Wabash  with  the  Ohio,  which,  extending  in  a 
northeast  direction,  through  Indiana,  Ohio,  Pennsylva- 
nia and  New  York,  forms  the  source  of  streams,  which 
flow  into  the  Canadian  lakes,  and  those  which  discharge 
their  waters  into  the  Ohio.  The  whole  of  this  ridge  is 
but  moderately  elevated,  being  chiefly  composed  of  lime 
and  schistous  sand  stone,  without  any  valuable  minerals, 
except  iron  and  coal/ 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


^ 


A  range  of  hills  leaves  the  northwestern  parts  of  Geor- 
gia, and  following  a  course  nearly  similar  to  that  of  Ten- 
nessee river,  divides  the  waters  of  that  stream  from 
those  of  ilie  Mobile.  This  ridge,  though  not  veiy  high, 
is  clothed  with  a  thick  forest,  and  forms  a  distinguisha- 
ble boundary  between  the  climates,  as  well  as  the  waters 
that  feed  the  large  rivers.  Nearly  upon  the  line  of 
Georgia  and  Alabama,  this  ridge  is  formed  into  two 
branches :  one  winding  parallel  to  the  Tennessee,  crosses 
the  Ohio  a  short  distance  below  the  former  river ;  the 
second  branch  puts  out  southwestwardly,  extttnding  near 
the  junction  of  the  Coosa  with  the  Tallapoosa. 

A  branch  of  the  Allegany,  intersecting  Georgia  nearly 
southwestwardly,  extending  between  the  Chatahoochee 
and  Mobile  rivers,  terminates  in  the  bluffs  of  Mobile  bay, 
near  the  town  of  Blakely. 

From  the  northeast  of  Mississippi  state,  a  ridge  puts 
out  from  the  one  last  described,  as  dividing  the  Tennessee 
and  Mobile  rivers,  pursuing  a  south  course,  crosses  two 
degrees  of  latitude,  dividing  the  waters  of  the  Ton^igbee 
from  those  of  the  Yazoo  and  Big  Black  rivers — ^from 
thence,  turning  eastwardly,  separates  the  streams  flow- 
ing into  the  Pascagoula,  and  is  terminated  by  the  high 
bank  on  which  Mobile  town  is  built. 

There  is  in  the  basin  of  the  Mobile  still  another  dis- 
tinctive ridge,  lying  between  the  waters  of  the  Cahaba 
and  those  of  the  Black  ^.Varrior,  which  descends  to  the 
southward,  and  forms  the  apex  of  the  peninsula  between 
the  Tombigbee  and  Alabama,  merging  in  the  low  lands 
near  the  junction  of  those  rivers. 

Almost  on  north  latitude  33^,  and  near  the  sources 
of  the  Big  Black,  Pearl  and  Pascagoula  rivers,  the  chdn 
of  hills  west  of  the  Tombigbee  sends  forth  two  project 


■— 


18 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


tions;  one  winds  southwardly,  dividing  the  waters  of 
the  Pearl  and  Pascagoula,  gradually  depressing  as  it  ap- 
proaches the  sea  coast,  and  ends  in  a  high  bank  near  the 
bay  of  St.  Louis.  The  second  pursues  a  southeast 
course,  separates  tlie  tributary  streams  to  the  Missis- 
sippi, Maurepas,  Ponchartrain  and  Borgne,  and  termi- 
nates abruptly  in  high  hills,  called  Loftus  Heights,  on 
the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  about  eighteen  miles 
above  Red  river. 

There  are  other  hills,  of  more^r  less  elevation,  well 
known,  dividing  the  minor  waters ;  but  those  above  des- 
cribed are  all  the  principal  high  lands  of  note,  that  have 
been  properly  explored,  in  this  extensive  western  region. 

PRINCIPAL  RIVERS. 

Red  River,  or  Nachitoches,  rises  near  Santa  Fee,  in 
north  latitude  37°  30',  and  29°  west  longitude,  runs 
nearly  parallel  to  the  Arkansaw,  and  after  rieandering 
about  1500  miles,  joins  the  Mississippi  in  latitude  30°. 
The  passage  of  this  river,  for  a  considerable  extent,  is 
through  a  valley  about  sixteen  miles  wide — is  navi- 
gable 6  or  800  miles  above  the  Rapiede,  which  is  two 
miles  in  length,  where  is  the  first  obstruction,  135  miles 
up,  consisting  of  a  rock  of  the  hardness  of  pipe  clay,  that 
may  be  passed  over  in  boats,  when  the  river  is  not  low, 
or  eafily  removed  in  a  dry  season.  The  water  is  tinged 
with  red,  and  a  little  brackish. 

The  Arkansaw  rises  in  the  Rocky  Mountains,  lati- 
tude 42°,  unites  with  the  Mississippi  in  latitude  31°  40' 
—receives  no  considerable  streams  within  800  mile3 
from  its  mouth— is  navigable  1980,  and  meanders  21 70 
miles ;  communicates  with  White  river  by  a  bayou  j  its 
banks,  in  high  water,  extensively  flooded  many  milts 
above  the  mouth. 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


19 


The  Missouri  rises  in  the  Rocky  Mountains,  in  north 
latitude  43°  31',  west  longitude  34°  45',  has  three  prin- 
cipal head  branches,  navigabla  for  some  distance,  called 
Jefterson,  Madison  and  Gallatin,  From  its  junction 
with  the  Mississippi  to  the  Gireat  Falls,  being  2575  miles, 
it  is  navigable  without  interruption ;  and  from  tlience  to 
the  Jefferson,  the  largest  branch,  is  navigable  5C1  miles, 
which  is  distant  from  it8  confluence  with  the  Mississippi 
5096  miles,  and  from  thence  to  the  Gulf  1345  miles, 
being  in  the  whole  4491  miles :  a  greater  extent  of  na- 
vigable waters  than  is  to  be  found  on  any  other  tributary 
stream  upon  the  globe.  The  cataracts  of  the  Missouri 
are  second  only  to  those  of  Niagara,  the  most  stupen- 
dous in  the  world— -the  descent  in  the  former  being 
about  362  feet  in  18  miles.  The  first  great  pitch  is  98 
feet ;  second,  19 ;  third,  47 ;  and  fourth,  26  feet.  Here 
the  widtli  is  about  350  yards. 

The  Mississippi  river  rises  in  latitude  47°  47'  from 
Turtle  lake,  from  thence  to  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony  is 
about  600  miles,  latitude  44°.  Its  junction  with  the 
Missouri  is  in  latitude  38°  50'.  It  flows  into  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico  through  several  months,  of  which  the  princi- 
pal is  the  Balize.  This  river  by  overflowing  in  the 
spring  freshets,  lays  the  country  for  many  miles  in  extent 
under  water— is  from  one  to  two  miles  in  width,  and  of  a 
great  depth.  Boats  of  40  tons  burden  can  ascend  to  the 
falls  of  St.  Anthony.  Ships  seldom  proceed  further  up 
than  Natchez.  The  application  of  steam  to  the  propel- 
ling of  boats  has  furnished  peculiar  facilities  to  the  navi- 
gation of  this  river,  on  which  and  its  tributary  streams 
are  now  (1819)  driven  by  that  power,  nearly  one  hundred 
steam  boats,  from  40  to  500  tons  burden.  The  length 
of  the  Mississippi  exceeds  3000  miles ;  it  extends  above 


fVfwm^m 


20 


PRELIMINARY  llEMAUKS. 


M 


'in 


U''  a 


It    H' 

K       ill 


its  junction  with  the  Missouri,  more  than  IGOO  iiiiles.-^ 
The  latter,  both  in  magnitude  and  length,  exceeding  tlie 
former,  may  be  considered  the  principal ;  its  navigable 
waters  extending  above  its  confluence  with  tiic  Missis- 
sippi, according  to  Lewis  anU  Clark,  for  3096  miles ;  its 
whole  meanderings  which  are  navigable  to  the  Mexican 
Gulf,  being  4491  miles. 

Th&  Illinois  derives  its  source  from  the  confluence 
of  the  Theakiki  and  Plein,  in  the  northwest  of  Indiana. 
Pursuing  generally  a  northwest  course,  it  is  dischar- 
ged into  the  Mississippi  21  miles  above  the  Missouri, 
where  its  width  is  420  yards.  Its  current  is  gentle  and 
smooth,  unimpeded  by  falls  or  rapids,  and  navigable  for 
400  miles ;  much  of  its  banks  are  overflowed  in  high 
waters.  Its  northern  branch,  the  Plein,  interlocks  with 
the  Chicago,  which  flows  into  lake  Michigan. 

The  Ohio  proceeds  from  the  junction  of  the  Allegany 
with  the  Monongahala  at  Pittsburgh.  After  a  west- 
southwest  course  of  949  miles,  it  discharges  into  the 
Mississippi.  It  varies  in  breadth  from  400  to  1400  yards. 
At  Cincinnati  it  is  534  yards,  which  being  near  its  cen- 
tre, may  be  regarded  as  its  mean  breadth.  Its  current 
is  gentle  and  smooth,  unbroken  by  rapids  or  falls,  ex- 
cept at  Louisville.  It  yields  to  but  few  streams  in 
point  of  convenience  for  inland  navigation ;  as theope- 
ration  of  canalling  and  locking  the  falls  has  lately  been 
commenced,  and  is  likely  to  be  successfully  prosecuted. 
The  height  of  the  fall  is  22^  feet ;  the  extent  of  the  de- 
clivity two  miles.  The  greatest  extremes  of  variation  in 
the  altitude  of  the  surface  of  the  river  is  60  feet ;  when 
lowest,  is  fordable  in  divers  places  above  Louisville. 

The  Wabash  rises  near  the  head  waters  of  the  rivers 
8t  Joseph  and  the  Maumee,  and  running  in  a  south- 


TRELIMINART  REMARKS. 


21 


westwardlj  direction,  empties  into  the  Ohio,  30  milei 
above  the  Cumberland.  It  is  upwards  of  500  miles  long, 
400  yards  wide  at  its  mouth,  and  navigable  for  keel 
boats  about  400  miles  to  Ouiatan,  an  ancient  French  vil- 
lage. From  thence  by  small  craft,  to  a  portage  of  eight 
miles  in  extent,  to  a  south  branch,  which  forms  a  commu- 
nication with  the  Maumee,  which  flows  into  Lake  Erie* 
Above  Vir  cennes  the  Wabash  is  gentle,  between  that  and 
White  river  is  an  obstruction  called  the  Great  Rapids, 
which  renders  it  unusually  arduous  to  navigate  with 
boats,  for  the  distancfe  of  more  ^an  a  mile.   . 

The  Great  Miami  is  about  130  yards  wide  for  46 
miles  up;  its  head  waters  between  latitude  40°  and  41", 
interlock  with  the  Masasinaway,  a  branch  of  the  Wa- 
bash ;  the  Augluze  and  St  Mary,  branches  of  the  Ma^- 
mee ;  and  the  Scioto.  It  has  generally  a  rapid  current, 
but  destitute  of  considerable  falls ;  flows  through  a  wide 
fertile  valley,  which  it  partly  floods  in  high  waters.— 
At  Dayton,  about  75  miles  from  the  mouth,  the  Miami 
unites  with  the  Madriver  on  the  east  From  this  place, 
in  tlie  high  waters,  flats  freighting  three  or  four  hundred 
barrels,  pass  safely  into  the  Ohio.  But  from  the  rapidity 
of  the  current,  sand  bars  and  mill  dams,  ascending  tiiii 
stream  with  boats  is  sa  diflicult,  it  is  rarely  attempted. 

The  Cumberland  proceeds  from  Cumberland  moun- 
tains, and  interlocks  with  the  head  waters  of  Clinch  and 
Kentucky  rivers — rises  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  state 
of  Kentucky,  through  which  it  flows  westward  ly  more 
than  200  miles,  enters  the  state  of  Tennessee,  and  mean- 
dering 120  miles,  reaches  Nashville,  nearly  in  latitude 
35° — from  thence  flowing  northwest  120  miles,  when  it 
join!?  the  Ohio. 

The  Tennessee  is  one  of  the  largest  rivers  in  the 
western  country,  and  is  navigable  for  large  boats  more 


\^^ 


22 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


li-       i 


than  1000  miles.  It  rises  in  the  northeast  part  of  the 
•late,  and  traverses  the  whole  width  of  East  Tennessee 
in  a  southwest  direction,  and  entering  the  northeast  an> 
gle  of  the  state  of  Alabama,  the  whole  width  of  which  it 
crosses,  and  turning  just  at  the  northwest  angle  of  Ala- 
bama, it  pursues  a  north  direction  nearly  in  a  direct  line 
with  the  eastern  boundary  of  that  state,  across  the  width 
of  Tennessee  and  part  of  Kentucky,  to  the  river  Ohio. 

The  Tombiobee  rises  within  a  few  miles  of  the  Mus- 
cle shoals,  flows  southwardly  near  the  line  between  the 
states  of  Mississippi  and  Alabama— ^joins  the  Alabama  45 
miles  above  Mobile  bay,  and  75  above  the  Gulf  of  Mexi- 
co, to  form  the  river  Mobile.  It  is  navigable  for  large 
vessels  to  Fort  Stoddert,  and  at  some  seasons  to  St.  Ste- 
phens. Being  about  450  miles  long,  and  navigable  for 
boats  the  greater  part  of  its  course. 

The  Alabama  gives  name  to  the  state  jo  called.  It 
is  formed  by  the  junction  of  the  Coosa  and  Tallapoosa, 
and  flowing  south-southwest,  unites  with  the  Tombigbee 
45  miles  above  Mobile  bay,  to  form  the  river  Mobile.*— 
From  the  junction  to  Fort  Claiborne,  60  miles,  it  is  navi- 
gable at  all  seasons  for  vessels  drawing  six  feet  of  water. 
From  Fort  Claiborne  to  the  mouth  of  the  Cahaba,  about 
150  miles,  the  river  has  four  or  five  feet  of  water.  From 
the  mouth  of  the  Cahaba  to  the  junction  of  the  Coosa 
and  Tallapoosa,  the  navigation  generally  continues  good, 
the  river  affording  three  feet  of  water  in  the  shallowest 
places.  This  river  is  subject  to  great  variation  in  rising 
and  falling. 

West  of  the  Mississippi  we  huve  omitted  rivers  more 
considerable,  than  several  described,  because  in  that  new 
and  extensive  region,  the  artificial  boundaries  of  states 
and  territories  have  not  yet  been  established  to  divide  the 
principal  streams. 


miELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


23 


Projected  Canals,  which  are  intended  to  unite  in  a 
water  communication,  the  great  western  lakes  to  the 
streams  falling  into  the  Mississippi,  have  long  occupied 
the  attention  of  curious  travellers  and  enterprising  tia- 
ders.  Of  this  description  it  is  said  there  are  six,  that 
might  open  a  passage  for  boats  from  lakes  flrie  and 
Michigan  to  the  Mississippi.  One  near  Presfjuc  Isle, 
^\here  the  navigation  of  French  Creek,  a  branch  of  the 
Allegany,  approaches  within  10  or  12  miles  of  the  lake. 
Of  the  practicability  of  excavating  a  canal  at  this  portage, 
we  have  not  distinct  information.  Another  is  between  a 
branch  of  the  Muskingum,  called  Tuscarawa,  and  the 
Cuyahoga,  a  stream  which  joins  I^ake  Erie  at  Cleveland. 
This  portage  does  not  exceed  10  or  12  miles,  at  which 
place  the  prosj^ect  of  procuring  a  water  communication 
between  the  streams  induced  Congress  to  appropriate 
100,000  acres  of  public  lands  to  effect  this  project  j  which 
public  bounty  has  not  yet  been  called  into  action.  A 
third  proposed  canal  is  to  unite  the  waters  of  the  Mau- 
mee  with  the  Big  Miami,  by  connecting  Loramies  Creek, 
one  of  the  chief  navigable  streams  of  the  latter,  either 
with  the  St.  Mary  or  the  Auglaize,  both  streams  of  the 
Maumee.  The  latter  is  the  most  direct,  and  aflfords  the 
most  water ;  but  its  current  is  the  most  rapid,  and  its 
channel  more  stony  and  less  secure  than  the  former. — 
Tlie  most  southern  points  of  navigation  on  these  streams 
are  distant  about  20  miles,  and  approach  within  from  10 
to  18  miles  to  navigation  on  the  Loramies.  This  space 
is  nearly  level,  the  surface  of  which  is  composed  of  loam 
and  clay.  It  yet  remains  uncertain,  whether  the  St.  Ma- 
ry or  the  Auglaize  deserves  the  preference  of  being  con- 
nected with  a  canal,  or  if  dug,  whether  that  could  be  fed 
with  sufficient  water.    Eight  miles  above  Fort  Wayne,  a 


S4 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


i     ' 


fourth  water  passage  might  be  opened  between  the  head 
waters  of  the  Wabash  and  the  St.  Mary ;  where  the  in- 
termediate space  is  so  low  and  level,  that  loaded  boats 
in  hi^  water  pass  from  the  Wabash  to  the  Lake  with  fa- 
:Tlity — And  so  promising  are  the  appearances  for  open- 
ing a  canal  here  at  a  small  expence,  that  Congress  have 
made  a  provision  to  effect  it  in  like  manner  as  above 
mentioned,  by  appropriating  100,000  acres  of  land.  A 
fifth  canal  has  been  projected  between  the  Plein,  a  stream 
of  the  Illinois,  and  the  Chicago,  flowing  into  the  Lake 
Michigan ;  the  waters  of  these  two  streams  are  so  nearly 
on  the  same  horizontal  level,  that  during  freshets  boats 
can  conveniently  pass  from  the  one  to  the  other — A  like 
provision  as  above  mentioned  is  made  by  Congress  to 
open  a  water  passage  at  this  place.  A  very  particular 
report  has  been  lately  made  by  commissioners  to  the 
Secretary  at  War,  stating  the  practicability  of  opening  a 
canal  here,  at  a  moderate  expence.  A  sixth  canal  is 
projected  to  connect  the  Ouisconsing,  a  stream  of  th<», 
Mississippi,  with  Fox  River  flowing  into  Green  Bay,  an 
arm  of  Lake  Michigan. 

Soil,  Vegetable  PRODUcnoifs,  Fruit  and  Forest 
Trees,  and  Remarks  on  Agriculture^— The  prevail- 
ing qualities  of  the  soil  in  the  west,  are,  a  decomposition 
of  limestone  and  calcareous  earths,  intermixed  with  a 
large  portioA  of  vegetable  loam.  It  has  a  good  depth, 
and  is  strong  and  durable.  To  the  north  of  35°  north 
latitude,  which  includes  the  states  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  Il- 
linois, Kentucky,  Tennessee,  and  the  Missouri  4erritory, 
are  produced  in  abundance,  wheat,  rye,  barley,  oats, 
maize,  tobacco,  culinary  vegetables,  apples^  pears,  pead^ 
es,  plumbs  and  cherries ;  hemp,  flax,  and  some  cotton— 
The  Utter/ however,  being  subject  to  late  venial  aiMl 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


25 


t>arly  autumnal  frosts,  is  not  mucK  cultivated  above  lati- 
(lule  35*',  except  in  Tennessee.  Between  this  latitude 
and  the  Giilf  coast,  cotton  and  sugar  cane  crops  princi- 
pally engross  the  attention  of  the  farmer.  Cotton,  above 
Cy5°y  and  sugar  cane,  above  30°,  are  precarious  crops.— 
Tlie  latter  is  the  most  lucrative  crop  of  any  which  cau 
be  raised  in  the  United  States ;  and  to  the  sugar,  the  cot- 
ton crop  is  next  in  value.  It  is  a  remarkable  coinci- 
dence, that  sugar  cane  commences  on  the  line  of  climate 
where  snow  ceases.  Indigo  and  rice  have  been  found  to 
flourish  well  here,  but  they  have  latterly  been  neglected 
for  the  more  profitable  crops  of  cotton  and  sugar,  which 
are  the  present  staples  of  this  portion  of  the  country. 

Most  of  the  vegetable  productions,  however,  of  the  up- 
per region,  flourisli  south  of  35°.  In  addition  to  the  fruits 
produced  above  th.at  latitude,  grow  below  it  the  fig,  pome- 
granate and  orange.  And  it  has  been  ascertained,  that 
tlie  olive  and  the  wine  grape  would  also  flourish,  if  pro- 
perly cultivated.  It  is  confidently  believed,  that  the  tea 
plant  would  thrive  v.'till,  if  transplanted  into  this  soil  and 
climate.  An  experiment  of  this  kiiid  would  be  an  object 
worthy  the  attention  of  the  general  government. 

So  inconsiderable  was  the  production  of  cotton  (v  hich 
now  forms  one  of  the  gi-and  staples  of  commerce  in  the 
United  States)  before  tlie  treaty  of  Jay,  in  1794,  that  the 
regulation  of  its  mart  was  not  provided  foi;  in  that  na- 
tional compact.  Of  so  little  importance  was  that  great 
source  of  future  weahh,  at  that  time  held  in  estimation 
by  that  able  statesman. 

The  coffee  tree,  tlie  product  of  whic'n,  habit  has  fixed 
among  the  articles  of  necessity,  and  rendered  one  of  the 
most  important  sources  of  traffic  in  America,  was  not  in- 
digenous there ;  nor  was  it  known  it  would  grow  in  that 

C 


26 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


I  ^ 


tilii 

'HI 


Ki 


^i 


quarter  of  the  globe,  till  more  than  a  century  had  elapsed 
from  its  discovery,  when  the  coffee  ti'ee  was  transplant- 
ed from  Asia  into  the  West  Indies.  From  tlie  nature  of 
the  soil  and  climate  of  Louisiana,  Mississippi  and  Alaba- 
ma, may  we  not  confidently  hope,  that  a  fair  experiment 
there,  would  prove  successful,  in  the  cultivation  of  the 
olive  and  the  coffee  tree,  the  tea  plant  and  the  wine 
grape  ? 

The  state  of  Tejinessee,  which  brings  forth  a  greater 
variety  of  vegetable  productions  than  any  state  in  the 
Dnion,  may  be  considered  a  middle  link  in  "the  west, 
which  forms  a  medium  of  climate  between  the  north  and 
the  sou  til. 

The  main  business  of  common  laborers,  constituting 
the  great  mass  of  population  in  the  west,  will  be  the  cul- 
tivation of  the  lands.  Although  the  prolific  qualities  of 
the  soil,  render  less  skill  and  labor  necessary  here,  for 
the  sustentation  of  life,  than  on  the  shores  of  the  Atlan- 
tic ;  for  the  amusement  of  the  curious,  and  the  instruc- 
tion of  those  whose  laborious  manner  of  life  has  not 
spared  tliem  leisure  to  trace  the  sensible  eftccts  in  the 
vegetable  k  ngdom  to  their  proper  \  auses,  we  have  been 
induced  to  submit  the  following  remarks. 

Soil  lias  a  great  capacity  of  absorbing  and  retaining 
putrid  effluvia,  proceeding  from  dead  animal  bodies,  and 
decayed  vegetables.  And  that,  when  saturated  with  such 
particles,  it  docs  not  easily  part  with  them,  appears  from 
the  long  stench  of  dead  bodies,  covered  by  the  surface  of 
the  ground,  and  the  healthy  state  of  the  cultivator,  whose 
daily  employment  is  that  of  stirring  up  the  soil.  Nor 
does  it  appear  that  the  ground,  when  turned  up,  emits 
any  noxious  qualities  to  the  air ;  the  smell  of  moist  earth 
being  commonly  agreeable  and  wholesome.    Hence  tlio 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


elapsed 
isplant- 
ature  of 
I  Alaba- 
)eiiment 
ti  of  the 
;lie  wine 

I  greater 
ite  in  the 
the  west, 
lorth  and 

nstituting 
be  the  cul- 
ualities  of 
here,  for 
[he  Atlan- 
|ie  instriic- 
fe  has  not 
cts  in  the 
have  been 


«7 


restoration  of  health  to  those  used  to  a  city  life,  from  tra- 
versing cultivated  fields,  and  partaking  of  rural  exercises. 

Dry  earth  is  without  smell,  until  it  is  moistened  to  a 
soft  pap,  when  it  diffuses  a  strong  and  delightsome  efflu- 
via, retaining  putrid  particles,  whicli  cliieHy  constitute 
the  food  of  plants  i  and  at  the  same  time  exhaling  a 
smell  delightful  to  the  sense,  and  salubrious  to  the  con- 
stitution of  man. 

The  putrefaction  of  dead  animals  in  air  and  water  is 
offensive;  while  the  same  process  in  eartli,  emits  fra- 
grant odours.  Thus  it  appears,  tliat  air  and  water  act 
as  powerful  solvents,  but  cannot  litmsform  and  com- 
pound like  earth,  substances  to  wliicli  it  is  exposed.— 
'■:M  It  will  be  worthy  our  attention  to  consider  what  imme- 
morially  has  been  done  to  the  soil,  with  a  view  to  pro- 
mote vegetation. 

Long  and  various  experience  have  proved,  tliat  most 
soils  may  be  ameliorated  by  some  of  the  means  that  fol- 
low : — 

1.  Frequent  jdoit^hingy  or  fallowing,  exposes  the  dif- 
ferent qualities  of  the  soil  to  the  action  of  the  air  and  sun, 
which  operate  as  dissolvents  on  tlie  many  roots  and  ve- 
getables with  which  it  generally  abounds  ;  and  the  earth 
being  decomposed  from  them,  mixes  with  the  soil,  and 
these  by  the  prolific  powers  of  the  whole,  are  brought  in- 
to action,  to  further  tlic  process  of  vegetation.  As  stir- 
ing  the  earth  tends  to  destroy  the  oils  and  salts,  it  would 
seem  that  they  ought  not  to  be  considered  tlie  food  of 
vegetables,  nor  that  such  a  process  contributes  to  extract 
from  the  air  nitrous  salts,  which  have  always  proved  det- 
rimental to  vegetation. 

2.  Overjloiving  of  ground  produces  fertility  iu  a 
^manner  not  unlike  ploughing,  by  effecting  putridity  and 


im" 


S8 


rilELIMTXAIlY  REMARKS. 


decomposition.  It  first  stops,  and  eventually  destroys 
(if  continued)  existing  vegetation,  except  it  be  of  the 
aquatic  kind.  But  its  effect  after  the  waters  are  with- 
drawn, combined  with  the  sun^s  heat,  is  to  decompose  the 
old  vegetable  gr«)wth,  with  the  fresh  alluvion  brought  on, 
and  tlierebj  wonderfully  to  fertilise  the  soil. 

3.  Manuring  is  another  process,  by  which  to  promote 
vegetation.  The  principal  manures  which  have  been 
found  most  efficacious,  are  :  1.  lime,  chalk,  marl,  shells, 
and  otlier  earths,  calle  i  calcareous,  which  are  all  of  the 
same  nature ;  2.  soot ;  S,  ashes ;  4.  dung  of  different 
kinds.  Calcareous  earths,  such  as  lime,  chalk,  marl,  &c. 
contain  neither  salt  nor  oil  of  any  kind.  The  most  bene- 
ficial effect  of  these  (*?.lcareous  earths,  is  that  of  decom- 
posing and  reducing  to  a  fine  light  loam  all  dead  animal 
and  vegetable  substances ;  of  a  similar  nature  to  which 
is  supposed  to  be  soot.  Ashes,  and  all  kinds  of  dung, 
have  been  proved  to  be  not  unlike  calcareous  manures, 
in  their  effects  on  the  soil. 

It  follows,  from  what  we  have  premised,  that  a  farmer, 
to  produce  good  crops,  if  he  find  his  land  in  a  fertile  con- 
dition, should  pursue  a  course  of  cultivation  tiiat  will  not 
impoverish  the  soil.  If  his  soil  be  baiTen,  he  should  im- 
pregnate it,  by  all  practicable  means,  with  substances 
which  contain  putrid  matter,  or  which  are  in  their  own 
nature,  dissolvents,  or  promoters  of  putrefaction  and  de- 
composition. 

It  has  been  thouglit  not  improper  to  subjoin  the  fore- 
going brief  summary,  as  an  outline  of  the  theory  of  agii- 
culture,  verified  by  modern  philosophical  experiments, 
an  i  recommended  by  the  most  successful  cultivators.— 
Such  are  the  materials  which  form  the  surface  of  the 
eartli,  that  it  was  deemed  a  few  hin^  on  what  constituted 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


S9 


0  promote 
have  been 
Arl,  shells, 
J  all  of  the 
,f  different 
i,  marl,  &c- 
mostbene- 
t  of  decom- 
lead  animal 
re  to  which 
ds  of  dung, 
as  manures, 

lat  a  farmer, 

1  fertile  con- 
J\at  will  not 
e  should  im- 
\  substances 
n  their  own 
:tion  and  dc- 

oin  the  fore- 
leory  of  agri- 
experiments, 

;ultivators.— 
irface  of  the 
it  constituted 


the  fertility  of  the  soil,  and  the  means  of  restoring  it,  when 
exhausted,  would  not  be  inconsistent  with  our  design. 

Another  extent  of  surface  in  a  body,  covered  with  lime 
and  calcareous  earth,  (with  rare  exceptions,  and  those 
confined  to  small  portions,)  so  large,  is  not  perhaps  to 
be  found  on  the  face  of  the  globe.    This  calcareous  re- 
gion extends  from  tlie  great  lake  waters,  eastwardly  to 
the  foot  of  the  Allegany  mountains ;  to  the  most  eastern 
boundary  of  the  state  of  Tennessee,  and  westwardly  over 
the  Mississippi  to  the  unexplored  regions.    The  soil  co- 
vei-ing  this  extensive  tract,  may  be  considered  geneially 
as  consisting  of  materials  derived  from  the  decomposition 
of  limestone  and  shells,  intermixed  with  a  large  propor- 
tion of  loam,  composed  of  decayed  vegetables.     Hence 
the  great  fertility,  strength  and  durability  of  the  soil. — 
The  exuberant  foliage  and  vegetation,  that  have  been 
accumulating  on  the  surface  for  ages,  without  being 
exhausted  by  crops,  have  been  constantly  changing  into 
nutriment  for  trees  and  plants,  by  the  digestive  qualities 
of  the  calcareous  eartlis,  witli  which  they  come  in  con- 
tact ;  the  earth  operating  on  the  decayed  vegetables  not 
unlike  the  action  of  the  gastric  juice  on  food  taken  into 
the  stomach.    Thus  has  nature  provided  for  the  husband- 
man, in  the  soil  of  this  new  countrv,  if  rural  labors  be 
rightly  managed,  inexhaustible  means  of  support  and 
sources  of  wealth. 

He  is  fortunately  exempted  from  that  tedious  and  ex- 
pensive process  of  h.anuring,  to  which  the  farmers  of  old 
settled  countries,  rendered  sterile  by  a  long  course  of 
cropping,  are  necessarily  subjected.  Here  the  cultiva- 
tor has  little  else  to  do  than  to  clear  off,  fence,  and  so 
husband  his  ground  as  to  preserve  its  original  fertility, 
and  nature  Vt'ill  perform  the  rest. 


3b 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


As  before  observed,  most  of  the  stones  are  lime.  Over 
a  large  portion  of  tlie  surface  of  tlic  west,  they  form  a 
kind  of  strata.  Being  shaped  fiat,  from  one  to  nine  inch- 
es thick,  they  are  very  portable,  easily  broken  with  a  ham- 
mer, and  arc  convenient  for  walls  of  buildings,  cellars, 
and  varioas  other  uses.  But  as  clay  of  a  good  quality, 
is  commonly  abundant,  bricks  are  generally  preferable 
for  building..  The  manner  in  which  nature  has  provided 
for  the  convenience  of  rural  husbandry,  in  disposing  of 
these  stones,  is  worthy  of  curious  remark.  They  are 
placed  just  below  the  soil,  where  they  oppose  no  obstruc- 
tion to  the  plough,  and  yet  they  are  handy  to  be  come  at, 
and  may  be  generally  found  between  tlie  soil  and  the 
clay,  or  pan,  on  gentle  declivities,  where  the  rains  by 
washing  down  the  soil,  which  is  remarkable  for  its  levity 
and  fineness  of  texture,  has  left  them  bare,  and  rendered 
them  accessible  without  digging. 

Growth  of  Timber,  Trees,  &c. — The  forest  trees  of 
the  west  grow  to  an  uncommon  height ;  are  generally 
straight  and  free  from  limbs  for  a  great  distance  from 
the  ground.  Several  species,  as  tlie  sycamore,  the  pop- 
lar, the  white  oak  and  black  walnut,  grow  to  an  extraor- 
dinary size,  some  of  which  have  been  found  to  exceed 
thirty  feet  in  circumference  near  the  ground.  The  fol- 
lowing species  are  among  the  principal  trees,  which  are 
scattered  pretty  generally  over  the  greater  part  of  the 
western  forests :  Black  walnut,  butternut,  various  kinds 
of  hickory  and  oak,  sugar  maple,*  red  flowering  maple, 
cotton  wood,  aspen,*  buckeye,  sassafras,  red  bud,  wild 
cherry,  sycamore,  pawpaw,  black  locust,  poplar,  beech, 
chesnut,  horn  beam,  red  cedar,  hackberry,  persimmon, 
elm,  white,  swamp  and  blue  ash.  South  of  35°,  some  of 
tlie  above  epecies  are  rarely  found,  particularly  such  a& 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS, 


31 


are  marked*.  Water  pine,  pitch  pine,  the  latter  of  which 
is  far  the  most  prevalent  of  any  species  in  the  south; 
cypress,  and  live-oak  (the  latter  affording  the  most  valu- 
able timber  for  ship  frames  of  any  in  the  United  States) 
are  rarely  discoverable  further  north  than  35°.  There 
are  many  other  less  considerable  species  of  trees  in  the 
western  forests,  besides  a  rich  shrubbery ;  various  kinds 
of  wild  plumbs,  grapes  and  berries,  and  almost  an  infinite 
diversity  of  herbaceous  vegetables,  many  of  which  afford 
valuable  ingredients  fey  tlie  materia  medica. 

A  traveller  passing  from  the  Atlantic  states,  over  the 
lofty  region  of  the  Allegany,  and  descending  into  the 
Ohio  valley,  is  agreeably  surprised,  on  finding  nature  ar- 
rayed in  a  novel  and  more  splendid  garb.  Plants,  trees 
and  every  species  of  vegetation,  exhibit  an  appearance  to 
which  lie  has  been  unaccustomed.  They  are  formed  on 
a  grander  scale — their  dimensions  being  greatly  enlarg- 
ed, and  their  foliage  having  imbibed  a  deeper  and  more 
vivid  green. 

Climate,  Diseases,  &,c.— Our  speculations  on  the  cli- 
mate of  the  west  may  principally  be  confined  to  that  re- 
gion which  lies  between  latitude  29°  and  44°,  and  3°  and 
23°  west  longitude.  Most  of  the  remaining  tracts,  for 
reasons  already  assigned,  will  probably  continue  in  a 
wilderness  state  for  a  century.  To  the  northward  of 
42°,  the  country  between  the  high  lands,  that  divide  the 
waters  of  the  IVlissouri  and  the  Mississippi,  to  lake  Michi- 
gan, including  the  territory  of  Michigan,  being  exposed 
to  the  winds  which  pour  down  over  the  Rocky  and  Chip- 
pewan  mountains  from  the  frozen  regions  of  the  north- 
west, is  much  colder  than  the  Atlantic  states,  under  the 
same  latitude.  It  may  generally  be  observed,  that  tho 
temperature  of  the  atmosphere,  west  of  the  Alleganies^ 


S2 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


is  more  variable  in  the  winter,  and  less  in  the  summer 
months,  than  in  the  northern  Atlantic  states.  In  the  for- 
mer, the  heat  of  the  summer  does  not  so  much  excel  in 
degree,  as  in  durability  and  uniformity.  It  therefore  is 
not  so  sensibly  felt,  because  the  human  body  acquires  a 
habit  which  renders  the  indurance  of  the  same  extreme 
more  tolerable.  And  tiie  same  remark  will  apply  in 
northern  latitudes,  with  respect  to  extreme  cold. 

Thaf  region,  whose  temperature  of  heat  through  the 
various  seasons  is  the  most  uniform,  and  which  produces 
the  fewest  uneasy  sensations  in  the  human  constitution, 
other  causes  affecting  health  being  equal,  may  be  consi- 
dered the  most  salubrious.  The  region  of  the  west,  be- 
tween latitude  35°  and  40°,  generally  possesses  a  climate 
as  nearly  perhaps  corresponding  to  the  one  last  described, 
as  any  section  of  the  United  States.  Within  this  tract, 
extending  over  five  degrees  due  north,  there  is,  however, 
considerable  variation ;  local  causes  often  producing  more 
sensible  effects  on  health,  than  variation  of  latitude- 
Here,  as  in  other  places,  elevated  situations  being  gene- 
rally accompanied  with  pure  air  and  running  streams  of 
limpid  water,  are  the  most  healthy.  Stagnant  waters, 
putrid  animals  and  vegetables,  are  among  the  principal 
causes,  in  summer  months,  which  engender  disease.— 
Exuberant  vegetation  springing  up  from  level,  marshy 
grounds,  saturated  and  covered  with  still  waters,  shaded 
by  thick  forest  trees,  when  acted  upon  by  an  ardent  sun, 
are  a  fruitful  cause  of  diseases  in  all  climates,  but  parti- 
cularly so  in  southern  latitudes,  where  the  air  suspends, 
in  the  form  of  vapor,  large  quantities  of  humid  particles. 

It  is  not  uncommon  for  the  human  species  to  enjoy  per- 
fect health,  while  exposed  to  heat  exceeding  90  degrees 
of  Farenheit's  thermometer,  if  situated  remote  from  the 


rRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


33 


influence  of  animal  and  vegetable  substances,  that  have 
become  putrid  and  decomposed  by  the  action  of  heat  and 
moisture.  The  first  settlers  of  a  country  covered  with 
woods,  are  naturally  inclined  to  select  for  their  places  of 
residence  the  richest  soil,  which  \<  commonly  found  on 
the  margins  of  languid  streams,  whose  alluvial  shores 
consist  of  decayed  vegetables,  not  sufficiently  exposed  to 
the  rays  of  the  sun  to  expel  the  miasmata,  with  which  tliey 
are  surcharged.  And  these  settlers,  possessing  vigorous 
and  robust  constitutions  from  northern  latitudes,  where 
they  have  been  accustomed  to  a  dry,  pure  air,  are  the  most 
apt  subjects  to  be  acted  upon,  by  those  noxious  effluvia, 
which  are  the  powerful  sources  of  human  maladies.  In- 
stead of  employing  the  late  fall  or  winter  months  for 
occupying  their  new  habitations,  they  emigrate  and  seat 
themselves  down,  during  the  periods  when  heat  and  mois- 
ture produce  tlieir  most  destructive  effects  on  the  con- 
stitution. Not  taught  from  necessity,  in  their  native 
land,  to  avoid  the  night  air,  by  filling  up  the  chinks  of 
their  cabbins,  keeping  themselves  within  doors  after  the 
evening  vapors  are  suspended,  and  preventing  the  causei 
of  noxious  exhalations,  proceeding  from  water  and  slops 
gpilled  through  the  floors  of  their  houses,  they  are  un- 
warily taken  down  by  malignant  fevers,  before  their 
constitution  becomes  tempered  to  the  climate,  and  their 
new  mode  of  living.  Hence  the  reputation,  acquired  to 
the  country,  of  an  unhealthy  and  sickly  climate.  The 
lake  countries,  and  the  low  rich  alluvial  soils,  bordering 
on  still  and  languid  streams,  even  in  the  northern  lati- 
tudes of  the  state  of  New  York,  the  northern  part  of 
Ohio,  and  the  two  Canadas,  abundantly  verify  the  fore* 
going  remarks.  In  which  places,  we  ourselves,  during  a 
long  residence  there,  have  witnessed,  tliat  as  soon  as  th« 


34 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


it     w' 

llv 


1. 


thick  woods  and  wild  vegetables,  with  which  tlie  ground 
was  covered,  were  removed  by  culture,  a  good  state  of 
healtli  has  been  generally  restored,  and  the  peasant  has 
pursued  his  rural  labors  with  his  usual  vigor  and  cheer- 
fulness. 

But  it  is  not  to  be  disguised,  there  are  many  situations 
westward,  extending  over  considerable  tracts  of  rich  land, 
which  nature  has  rendered  incapable  of  being  so  improved 
by  the  hand  of  man,  as  to  be  eligible  spots,  in  point  of 
health,  for  permanent  settlements.  Of  this  description 
are  the  borders  of  stagnant  waters,  which  cannot  be 
drained,  and  champaign  grounds,  from  which  overflowed 
waters  cannot  find  an  outlet,  nor  a  passage  into  the  earth 
beneath.  As  they  partially  dry  up,  tlie  surrounding  at- 
mosphere is  contaminated  with  their  noxious  exlialations. 
There  are  other  places  not  uniformly  healtliy,  on  margins 
of  rivers  that  flood  occasionally,  once  in  five  or  sir^  years, 
during  a  season  when  an  exuberant  crop  of  vegetables 
cover  the  ground.  Such  occurrences  are  often  followed 
by  malignant  diseases,  proceeding  from  tlie  putridity  of 
the  vegetables,  after  the  waters  have  subsided.  But  all 
sites  for  permanent  settlements,  like  those,  prudent  cmi- 
gi'ants  will  avoid.  After  the  country  becomes  populous, 
and  the  best  stands  are  occupied,  these  insalubrious  spots 
•  may  be  rendered  very  useful  in  divers  ways,  other  than  to 
be  occupied  as  places  of  habitation. 

It  must,  however,  be  acknowledged  as  a  fact,  that  there 
is  less  elasticity  of  air,  in  the  western,  tlian  the  north- 
western states.  The  langour  and  ennui  continue  more 
uniformly  through  the  summer,  and  is  not  so  frequently 
relieved  by  tlie  bracing  tone  of  the  n  orning  and  evening 
air.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  in  the  west,  the  winter  air 
is  but  seldom  accompanied  with  that  extreme  raw  chilling 


PKELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


3d 


atmosphere,  which  frequently  and  suddenly  succeeds  a 
milder  temperature  at  tlie  northwest,  and  lays  the  foun- 
dation of  mortal  pulmonary  diseases.  Such  diseases  be- 
ini5  often  produced,  as  is  conceived,  by  loading  the  lungs 
witli  that  extraneous  matter  which  usually  passes  oft" by 
perspiration  through  the  pores  of  the  skin,  which  a  moist, 
cold,  raw  air  tends  to  obstruct  or  seal  up.  Our  own  ob- 
servations have  convinced  us,  that  west  of  the  Alleganies 
there  does  not  one  death,  caused  by  pulmonary  com- 
plaints, happen  for  ten  by  the  same  disease  in  the  north- 
ern states,  within  the  same  extent  of  population. 

The  diseases  vulgarly  called  the  spotted  fever,  and  cold 
2^logue,  which  in  the  severest  seasons  of  winter  cold,  at 
the  northeast,  have  occasionally  made  dreadful  ravages, 
and  proved  extensively  malignant  and  mortal,  in  the  west 
have  rarely  made  their  appearance. 

On  the  whole,  it  is  confidently  believed,  that  by  pru- 
dent care,  health  may  be  as  effectually  preserved,  and  life 
as  pleasantly  enjoyed,  so  far  as  depends  on  climate,  and 
as  long  protracted  generally,  west  of  the  Alleganies,  as  in 
any  part  of  the  Atlantic  States. 

MIXEllALS. 

The  tract  of  country  commencing  on  the  west  bank 
of  the  Mississippi,  a  little  south  of  the  St.  Francis,  and 
proceeding  near  the  former,  upwards,  about  200  miles, 
and  extending  in  that  width  in  a  direction  parallel  with 
the  main  courses  of  the  St.  Francis  and  the  White 
rivers,  about  600  miles,  contains  lead  minerals,  which 
abound  more  generally  and  extensively,  it  is  believed, 
tlian  in  any  other  mineral  tract  in  the  known  world  In 
all  the  great  rivers  which  traverse  this  region,  such  as 
the  Maramack,  the  Gasconade,  the  Osage,  the  Mine  ri- 
ver of  the  Missouri,  the  Le  Moines,  and  the  Mississippi, 


35 


FRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


U'low  the  Ouisconsirjg,  the  ore  in  numerous  places  is 
diacovored  in  their  channels,  and  in  the  ravines,  where 
the  soil  has*  been  removed  hy  the  waters. 

The  mineH  at  the  Ouisconsinj,  on  the  MissiHsIppi,  a- 
bove  the  Praire  du  Chien,  are  in  tlie  possession  of  the 
Sacs  and  Foxen,  They  are  exclusively  wrought  by  tliose 
tribes  of  Indians,  and  are  supposed  to  be  the  richest  yet 
discovered.  . 

The  productive  lead  mines,  which  at  present  arc 
wrought,  lie  between  the  St.  Francis  and  the  Maramack, 
embracing  a  tract  about  §0  miles  long,  and  25  wide.— 
The  common  mode  of  refining  lead  ore  is  very  simple ; 
there  being  but  one  regular  furnace,  the  rest  are  mere 
temporary  establishments.  The  most  common  are  built 
on  the  declivity  of  a  hill,  with  stones,  open  at  tlie  top, 
with  an  arch  below.  Three  large  iogs,  of  a  size  to  fit 
the  furnace,  about  four  feet  w  ide,  ate  covered  with  small 
pieces  of  wood  placed  roun<l,  and  the  ore  is  then  heaped 
up  in  large  lump«.  If  fire  be  set  to  it  in  tlie  evening,  by 
the  next  morning  a  sufficient  quantity  of  lead  will  be 
melted  in  the  reservoir,  or  hole  scratched  in  the  earth 
before  the  arch,  to  commence  the  operation  of  pouring  it 
into  moulds  to  form  pigs.  There  usually  are  several  of 
these  furnaces  joined  together :  about  6000  pounds  of 
ore  are  put  into  each  ;  and  the  first  smelting  produces 
50  per  cent  besides  leaving  a  quantity  of  scorched  ore. 
The  ashes  containing  paiticles  of  scorched  ore  are  wash- 
ed and  smelted  in  a  furnrxe  of  difterent  construction,  and 
yield  25  or  30  per  cent,  more  ;  75  per  cent,  being  the 
usual  amount  yielded  by  this  rude  process.  Three  new 
modes  of  smelting  have  been  introduced  by  the  Ameri- 
cans, viz.  the  open  furnace,  the  ash  furnace,  and  the  air 
furnace.     The  Creoles  never  having  before  smelted, 


PRELIMINARY  ItEMAHKS. 


37 


»js  places  is 
vines,  where 

[Ississlppi,  a- 
issioii  of  the 
jght  by  those 
e  richest  yet 

m 

present  aic 
J  Maramack, 
:  25  wide.— 
I'^ery  simple ; 
est  are  mere 
lion  are  built 
I  at  the  top, 
a  size  to  fit 
d  with  small 
then  heaped 
i  evening,  by 
lead  will  be 
in  the  earth 
of  pouring  it 
e  several  of 
pounds  of 
ng  produces 
rorched  ore. 
re  arc  wash- 
ruction,  and 
it.  being  the 
Three  new 
the  Ameri- 
and  the  air 
re  smelted* 


ixcept  by  throwing  the  ore  into  log  iieaps.     Arsenic  and 

Isulpliui-  being  combined  with  the  ore,  the  fumes  proceed- 

phg  from  the  heat  render  the  process  of  refining  un- 

lealthy.    On  the  other  hand,  mining  or  digging  for  the 

)re,  is  considered  favorable  to  health. 

About  forty  miles  from  St.  Genevievo,  on  a  branch  of 

|the  Maramack,  is  Mine  a  Burton,  discovered  by  Francis 

lurton,  who  obtained  a  grant  of  land,  and  commenced 

working  the  ore,  more  than  forty  years  ago.     It  is  now 

>wned  and  worked  by  Mr.  Austin,  who  has  erected  a 

jood  smelting  furnace  at  tlie  place,  wliich  is  now  called 

*otosi.     Although  this  ore  is  not  of  the  first  quality,  it 

^as  been  worked  more  extensirely  and  successfully  than 

any  other  mine  yet  discovered ;  and  the  product  has 

J  well  rewarded  the  expenses  of  the  proprietor.      The 

:^|ore  is  dug  from  an  open  praira,  elevated  almost  100  feet 

jabove  the  level  of  the  creek,  and  is  supposed  to  extend 

,  over  some  thousands  of  acres.    The  mineral  is  found 

within  two  feet  of  the  surface,  in  f*  strata  of  gravel,  in 

which  it  lies  in  lumps  of  from  one  to  fifty  pounds  weight, 

.    Under  this  strata  is  a  sand  rock,  easily  broken  up  with 

.  i  a  pickax,  and  when  exposed  to  the  air,  crumbles  to  fine 

sand.     The  ore  intermixed  in  the  sand  rock  is  similar 

;  to  that  in  the  upper  gravel  strata.    Under  the  sand  rock 

I  is  a  strata  of  red  clay,  more  than  six  feet  thick ;  beneath 

[the  clay  is  the  best  ore,  in  lumps  from  ten  to  two  or  three 

hundred  pounds  weight.    Some  portion  of  arsenic  and 

sulphur,  and  more  or  less  of  spar,  antimony  and  zinc, 

are  sometimes  found  intermixed  with  the  ore,  which 

yields  from  60  to  75  per  cent* 

JSTew  Digging*,  about  two  miles  east  of  the  Mine  a 
Burton,  were  opened  about  the  year  1806;  and  the/ 
attracted  so  much  attention,  as  to  draw  most  of  the 


38 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


miners  thither  from  other  places.  Ami  it  has  been  sup- 
posed, that  in  the  year  during  which  fhese  mines  were 
worked,  more  lead  was  made,  than  has  been  manufac- 
tured for  the  same  period  of  time  ever  since.  But  till 
of  late,  these  mines  have  been  almost  abandoned,  from 
ititerruption  by  water;  which  embarrassment  is  in  a 
manner  now  removed  by  machinery. 

Jline  Jirnaulf,  north  of  the  Mine  a  Burton  about  six 
miles,  is  situated  upon  a  branch  of  the  Mineral  Fork. — 
This  mine  has  not  been  wrought  n^any  years.  It  is  be- 
lieved that  a  rich  mine  exists  very  near  this  p'jace. 

Elliot's  Diggings,  Old  Mines,  and  the  mines  of  Belle 
Fontaine,  are  all  in  the  same  vicinity.  Some  of  which 
have  been  productive ;  others  neglected. 

Brown''s  Diggings,  near  those  last  mentioned,  have 
produced  nearly  one  million  pounds  of  lead  in  a  year. 

The  La  Platte„Joe's,  and  sev€iral  otlier  mines  on  tlie 
head  waters  of  the  Maramack,  exhibit  appearanves  of 
being  rich,  but  have  not  as  yet  been  thoroughly  explored. 

There  are  several  other  mines  iu  this  part  of  the 
country,  whiclvwe  have  omitted  to  particularise,  where 
lead  has  been  manufactured  to  a  good  profit. 

Mine  a  Burton,  since  Mr.  Austin's  improvements,  is 
calculated  to  produce  to  the  amouiit  of  S20,00()  a  year. 
Hence  it  may  be  p'*esumed  diat  many  of  the  other  mines, 
by  proper  management,  would  yield  a  great  profit. 

The  men  now  employed  in  mining,  and  refining  the 
ore,  at  the  several  lead  mines,  are  supposed  to  exceed 
five  hundred;  and  it  is  believed  thai  more  than  one 
thousand  tons  of  lead  are  produced  annually.  When 
extensively  exploded  and  wot-ked,  there  can  be  no  doubt 
the  lead  mines  of  the  west  will,  besides  supplying  the 
United  States  with  that  article,  congticute  cne  of  tli*» 
grand  staples  for  exportation. 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS, 


39 


Iron  Ore  is  obtained  in  large  quantities,  and  wrought, 
on  the  Sou ih  Licking,  four  miles  west  of  Zanesville  ;  on 
Brush  creek,  and  in  some  other  places  in  the  state  of 
Ohio.  It  is  also  found  plentifully  in  the  bluft's  of  tbc 
IJounty  Lands,  and  in  the  Sanguamon  country,  in  the 
state  cf  Illinois.  It  is  plenty,  and  of  a  good  quality,  near 
Brownstown,  on  the  East  Fork  of  White  river ;  and  on 
the  various  knobs  whicli  are  planted  between  the  Falls 
of  the  Ohio  and  the  Wabash,  in  the  state  of  Indiana.  It 
is  also  found  in  rome  parts  of  the  state  of  Alabama. 

Copper  mines  have  been  discovered  in  some  parts  cf 
the  state  of  Illinois ;  but  we  have  no  definite  knowledge 
of  their  extent  or  quality.  We  can,  however,  speak  with 
more  assurance  of  the  copper  mines  near  the  Mississippi. 
They  begin  near  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  and  eytend 
out  to  St.  Croix,  near  lake  Superior.  The  southern  lihore 
of  lake  Superior  is  supposed  to  display  the  largest  and 
richest  mines  of  this  metal  in  the  world.  Gen.  B's$ell, 
by  order  of  President  Adams,  in  1797,  was  sent  out  to 
explore  the  mines  in  that  place ;  and  his  report,  accom- 
panied with  the  specimens  brought  in,  was  so  satisfactory, 
that  an  establishment  of  a  company  to  work  the  mines 
was  projected.  But  Mr.  Adams's  term  of  office  expirinjg 
before  this  wise  policy  was  carried  into  effect,  the  mea- 
sure was  abandoned,  and  has  not  since  been  resumed. 

Salines. — West  of  the  lead  mineral  tract,  previously 
described,  is  that  of  the  saline?  It  runs  parr,  del  with 
the  other,  but  goes  farther  south,  and  not  so  far  north. 
The  extent,  however,  being  but  partially  ascertained, 
can  be  but  partially  defined.  No  salines  yet  discovered 
in  North  America  will  bear  a  comparison  with  ihese. 
On  the  Arkansaw  and  Osage,  they  are  very  numerous. 
When  the  waters  of  the  former  are  Iqw,  it  in  so  brackish. 


40 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


'!F 


that  boatmen  navigating  the  river  are*  compelled  to  pro- 
vide fresli  water,  as  on  a  vo}«ige  upjn  the  ocean.  At 
the  salines  on  the  Osage,  there  is  a  greater  number  of 
huge  mammotii  bones,  and  of  other  animals,  now  extinct, 
than  at  the  Big  Bone  Lick,  or  any  other  part  of  AmericrK 

Nature  seems  to  have  bountifully  provided  for  the  in- 
habitants of  the  west,  so  remote  from  the  ocean,  salt,  that 
indispensable  necessary.  Licks  and  salt  springs  arc 
found  in  almost  every  portion  of  the  western  country. 

The  salines  on  Kenhawa  river,  in  the  western  part  of 
Virginia,  furnish  the  most  considerable  quantity  of  ?alt,  | 
which  is  at  present  consumed  between  the  Alleganies 
and  the  Mississippi.     Here  the  salt  water,  as  in  many 
other  places,  is  obtained  by  penetrating  the  earth  M'i^h 
an  augef,  from  100  to  400  feet  deep.     The  salt  v/a'^v  i 
generally  deposited  in  divers  extensive  narrow  cavi^oi., 
from  one  to  five  inches  thick,  expanded  parallel  with  th** 
strata  of  limestone  which  encloses  it.     At  the  town  of 
New-Lexington,  Indiana,  one  salt  well  has  bften  sunk 
through  the  rocks  with  an  auger  730  feet ;  the  water  is 
strong,  but  the  quantity  too  limited  to  be  much  worked. 
The  fresh  water  near  the  surface  is  commonly  excluded 
by  a  gum  or  curb,  consisting  of  a  hollow  log,  wliich  ex- 
tends to  tlie  solid  rock,  where  it  is  made  water  tight.  I'lic 
gait  water  is  always  forced  up  to  the  level  of  the  fre>h 
water  stream  which  flows  near  by.   For,  witliout  a  streain 
of  fiesh  water  nigh,  on  the  surftice,  it  is  said,  the  salt 
water  cannot  be  raised. 

Jn  the  state  of  Kentucky,  amojig  divers  salt  springs  o» 
licks  of  less  note,  the  five  most  considerable  are :   tb 
Upper  and  Lower  Blue  Springs,  on  Licking  river ;  Big 
Bone  Lick ;  Dre'uion's  Lick,  and  Bullitt's  Lick,  at  Salts- 
burgh.    Tlie  amount  of  salt  made  in  this  state,*  at  the 


PKELlMlxNARV  KEMAKKS. 


41 


several  licks,  in  the  year  1816,  was  computed  to  exceed 
oOO.OOO  bushels. 

Iti  the  state  of  Ohio,  considerable  salt  is  made  on  Yel- 
low, Killbuck  and  Alluni  creeks;  at  the  Scioto  salt 
works,  and  on  the  eastern  waters  of  the  Muskingum. 

In  the  state  of  Indiana,  various  salt  springs  and  licks 
have  been  found ;  but  their  Maters  have  not  proved  strong 
enougli^  to  be  worked  with  much  profit.  It  is  believed, 
howevf^r,  tliat  by  sinking  wells,  plenty  of  strong  water 
might  be  had. 

In  the  state  of  Illinois,  on  the  Saline,  navigable  thirty 
miles,  which  joins  the  Ohio  26  miles  below  the  Wabash, 
the  United  States  have  salt  works,  where  about  300,00b 
bushels  are  annually  made.  Those  who  hire  the  works, 
are  obligated  to  sell  the  salt  at  75  cents  per  bushel.— 
Strong  indications  of  salt  a'.e  frequent  in  the  Bounty 
Lands,  and  the  Sanguamon  country ;  but  wells  liave  not 
yet  been  sunk,  to  ascertain  the  strength  and  quality  of 
the  water. 

Stone  Coal  abounds  in  rarious  parte  of  the  western 
country.  Large  quantities  of  it  have  be?n  discover  jd  in 
the  eastern  part  of  the  state  of  Ohio  :•— on  Big  Muddy 
creek ;  on  the  banks  of  the  Kaskaskia,  near  the  town  of 
that  name ;  near  Edwardsville ;  near  Alton,  and  on  the 
Ilrnoi 3,  by  Illinois  lake,  vind  in  some  o^her  places  in  the 
^  ^^«  i:^  Illinois :— on  the  banks  of  the  iVabash,  and  on 

^  y  At  ■  Fork  of  White  river,  near  Indostar  in  the  state 
of  Lriftua.  Coal  is  supposed  also  to  be  plenty  in  tlie 
state  of  Tennessee,  and  in  the  Missouri  Territory.  It 
also  abounds  on  the  banks  of  the  Caliaba  and  the  Black 
Warrior,  in  die  state  of  Alabama. 

Copperas,  allum  and  nitre,  arc  md  to  have  been  found 
in  the  state  of  Tennessee. 


43 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


ANTIQUITIES. 

The  ancient  mounds,  fortifications,  and  spacious  high- 
ways, west  of  the  Alleganies,  are  the  chief  works  of  art, 
constructed  by  the  ancient  inhabitants,  that  have  survived 
the  ravages  of  time,  so  as  to  remain  distinguishable  from 
the  operations  of  natural  causes.  Their  number,  mag- 
nitude, and  general  appearance,  all  prove  that  an  exten- 
sive and  dense  population  must  have  preceded  these 
stupendous  works ;  and  that  those  who  erected  them 
must  have  possessed  a  faculty  of  contrivance,  and  a 
spirit  of  persevering  industry,  far  exceeding  any  speci- 
mens of  art,  or  endurance  of  labor,  of  which  we  have  any 
know! -^dge  from  the  ingenuity  or  labors  of  common  sava- 
ges, remains  of  ancient  labors  are  commonly 
found  anic  j  the  most  abundant  natural  means  of  sus- 
taining life— such  as  extensive,  champaign,  fertile  tracts 
of  ground,  bounded  or  intersected  by  pure  streams  of 
running  water,  where  fish  might  be  caught  plentifully. 
The  sites  for  defence  have,  with  much  discernment,  often 
been  selected  on  the  tops  of  the  highest  hills,  contiguous 
to  the  lands  best  adapted  to  cultivation,  and  near  large 
streams,  that  abundantly  sup  plied  fish.  Thus  with  bread, 
fish,  vegetables,  and  the  wild  game  caught  from  the  sur- 
rounding forest,  these  ancient  people  possessed  ample 
means  of  increasing  the  number  of  their  tribes.  The 
mounds  of  the  high  grounds  served  for  convenient  ob- 
servatories to  view  tlie  rising  oi  the  sun,  and  of  the  new 
and  full  moon,  which  in  themselves  either  constituted 
for  those  credulous  and  superstitious  people  the  objects 
of  worship,  or  served  to  designate  the  hours  when  to 
offer  up  to  other  idols,  as  gods,  their  morning  and  even- 
ing orisons  and  sacrifices.  Or,  perhaps,  the  elevated  spot 
•f  the  top  of  a  mound  on  a  hill,  might  be  intended  as  a 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


43 


khul  of  watchtower,  whence  their  centinels  might  espy 
the  approach,  and  announce  the  alarm  of  an  enemy. — 
The  spacious  dug  ways  by  the  side  of,  and  around  the 
adjoining  hills,  gave  them  the  facility  of  speedily  gaining 
their  fort,  securing  their  persons  from  attack,  and  their 
property  from  pillage,  if  suddenly  surprised  on  the  low 
grounds.  It  is  not  improbable,  that  the  erection  of 
mounds  on  the  low  grounds,  might  embrace  three  objects: 
First,  to  constitute  a  post  of  look  out,  whereby  to  be  fore- 
warned of  hostile  aggression.  Secondly,  to  serve  as  a 
monument  that  would  symbolically  preserve  the  memo- 
rial of  extraordinary  events  respecting  the  tribe  or  nation; 
sucli  as  a  treaty,  or  a  victory,  or  a  wonderful  phenomenon 
of  nature— an  earthquake,  an  eclipse  of  the  sun,  or  & 
sweeping  pestilence.  A  third  object  in  these  mounds, 
might  be,  a  cemetery  for  the  dead. 

Some  large  mounds  appear  to  have  been  found  near 
battle  grounds,  where  the  slain  were  deposited ;  as  exca- 
vations in  them  have  displayed  fractured  bones,  that 
seemed,  from  the  confused  posture  in  which  they  lay,  to 
have  been  the  relics  of  bones  that  have  been  hastily 
thrown  together.  Others  appear  to  be  designed  as  bury- 
ing grounds  of  such  as  died  by  sickness,  or  common  ttC?»- 
dents.  Large  mounds  are  not  unfrequently  surrounded 
by  others,  of  not  one-tenth  the  magnitude ;  perhaps  the 
large  were  used  as  common,  and  the  small  as  private 
family  burial  places,  or  as  a  permanent  testimonial  of 
respect  for  a  distinguished  chief.  Mounds  have  often 
been  found  near  the  centre  of  fortifications,  or  rather  in 
that  part  which  would  command  the  widest  prospect.— 
In  these  latter  have  rarely  been  discovered  any  human 
bones.  This  circumstance  induces  us  to  infer,  they  were 
intended  merely  as  posts  of  discovery.    It  is  observable. 


44 


1»UEL1M1NAU\   HEM  AUKS. 


that  the  usual  Manner  of  depositing  dead  bodies,  was  to 
place  fl:it  stones,  and  then  earth ;  and  so  alternately  are 
found  layers  of  skeletons,  stones  and  earth.  This  custom 
might  be  designed  as  sfllhie  superstitious  ceremony ;  or 
to  protect  the  dead  bodies  from  ravenous  wild  beasts. 

These  ancient  works  extend  from  the  southern  shores 
of  the  Canadian  lakes,  in  a  south  westward  ly  direction, 
through  the  western  part  of  the  state  of  New  York,  ami 
thence  across  the  w  estern  states,  to  the  plains  of  Mcrxico. 
As  tiiej'  indicate  more  laborious  habits,  and  a  greater  po- 
pulation than  the  modern  tribes  of  savages  possess,  and 
as  they  have  been  represented  by  travellers  to  be  of  the 
same  description  with  those  in  M<yxico,  would  it  not  be  a 
reasonable  conjecture  to  suppose,  that  the  people  who 
erected  them  were  from  the  same  stock  ?  Perhaps,  it 
would  not  80  much  resemble  romance,  as  history,  to 
hazard  an  opinion,  that  the  progenitors  of  the  Mexicans 
first  seated  themselves  down,  on  their  emigrating  to  Ame- 
rica, in  the  Mississippi  and  Ohio  valleys,  or  that  they 
came  there  after  settling  Mexico,  and  so  multiplied,  from 
the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  as  to  extend  a  numerous  popu- 
lation over  most  of  the  best  tracts  in  the  western  states ; 
and  that,  after  constructing  numerous  fortifications  for  a 
defence  against  the  savage  tribes,  who,  more  fierce  and 
warlike,  had  more  recently  found  their  way  from  their 
native  country  to  North  America,  were  by  the  latter  ex- 
terminated, or  driven  to  the  south,,  into  the  Mexican  pro- 
vinces. 

But  that  We  may  not  dwell  too  long  in  the  regions  of 
conjectare,  where  wc  can  have  no  light  from  the  faithful 
page  of  history  to  direct  our  course,  v/c  will  proceed  to 
describe  some  <^  the  most  remarkabie  of  these  works 
yfi&an  our  knowledge. 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


49 


s,  xvus  to 
lately  are 
is  custom 
inony ;  or 
bcai?ts. 
?iii  shores 
direction, 
York,  ami 
jf  Mcrxico. 
!;rcater  po- 
)Sbess,  and 
0  be  of  the 
it  not  be  a 
people  who 
Perhaps,  it 
history,  to 
J  Mexicans 
ng  to  Ame- 
r  that  they 
iplied,  from 
crous  popu- 
tern  states ; 
ations  for  a 
5  fierce  and 
r  from  their 
le  latter  ex- 
exican  pro- 

^  regions  of 
the  faithful 
I  proceed  to 
Lh«sc  works  11 


Xear  the  confluence  of  the  Ohio  and  Big  Miami,  on  tlie 
west  bank,  is  an  extensive  rich  bottom,  consisting  of  seve- 
ral thousand  icres;  on,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  which,  are 
several  ancient  mounds.    Northwardly  of  Hardeiisburgh, 
one  half  mile  from  tlie  Miami,  on  tlie  top  of  a  hill,  sup- 
posed to  be  elevated  above  the  adjoining  bottom  150  feet, 
is  a  fortification  inclosing  ten  or  twelve  acres.     The  wail 
of  earth,  from  four  to  five  feet  high,  does  nut  conform  to 
any  exact  figure,  but  is  regulated  in  its  direction  by  the 
f  xtremities  of  the  level  ground  round  the  top  of  the  hill, 
at  the  highest  points  of  declivity,  in  an  irregular  form,  so 
as  to  inclose  all  the  level  ground.    There  are  two  or 
three  gate  ways.     On  the  south,  near  where  the  hill  is 
very  steep,  within  the  fort,  is  a  considerable  mound,  and 
on  the  south  side  of  the  hill,  about  one-third  of  the  dis- 
tance from  the  base  to  the  top,  is  a  spacious  high  way, 
more  than  thirty  feet  in  width,  remarkably  level  and 
straight,  the  excavation  on  tlie  upper  side  of  which  in 
some  parts  of  the  hill,  is  12  or  15  feet  deep ;  this  high- 
way extends  in  length  on  the  side  of  the  hill  160  rods, 
each  end  terminating  at  points  where  the  declivity  was 
gentle,  and  the  ascent  easy  to  the  fortification ;  within 
which  are  two  considerable  artificial  conccavities.     The 
numerous  human  bones  washed  bare  by  the  rains,  on  the 
sloping  places,  indicate  that  the  ancient  population  here 
was  great. 

On  tlie  opposite  side  of  the  Miami,  on  the  top  of  a  hill, 
is  another  extensive  fortification,  described  in  Doctor 
Drake's  Picture  of  Cincinnati.  Another  is  discoverable 
on  a  hill  two  miles  below  Hamilton,  containing  more  than 
fifty  acres,  near  which  is  a  mound.  Various  other  monu- 
ments of  ancient  labors  appear  in  the  Miami  country. 

Mounds  vary  both  in  magnitude  and  form.    Some  are 


46 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


conical  from  the  base  to  the  top ;  others  present  only  tlie 
lower  segment  of  a  cone ;  others  are  somi-globular ; 
others  in  the  form  of  a  parallelogram.  At  IVlarietta  is 
one  of  a  conical  figure,  of  seven  rods  diameter  at  the  base, 
50  feet  high,  and  20  feet  diameter  at  top. 

The  largest  mound  which  has  been  found  in  the  Ohio 
Tallej,  stands  at  Big  Grave  creek,  near  the  Ohio,  14  miles 
below  Wheeling.  It  is  between  15  and  20  rods  diameter 
at  the  base,  its  perpendicular  height  70  feet.  On  the 
summit  nearly  60  feet  diameter,  in  the  middle  of  which 
is  a  regular  cavity,  consisting  of  about  3000  cubical  feet, 
on  which  is  a  handsome  green  white  oak  tree,  three  feet 
diameter  and  more  than  seventy  feet  high.  Within  a 
few  rods  stand  five  other  smaller  mounds. 

The  most  remarkable  appearances  of  mounds  or  pyra- 
mids, in  the  western  country,  are  on  the  Mississippi,  con- 
sisting of  two  groupes.  The  one  about  ten  miles  above 
the  Kahokia,  which  empties  near  St.  Louis ;  and  the 
other  nearly  the  same  distance  below  it — which  in  all 
exceed  one  hundred  and  fifty.  Near  St.  Louis,  within 
less  than  a  mile  of  the  Mississippi,  on  the  east  side,  is 
the  upper  groupe,  which  at  a  little  distance  resembles  a 
cluster  of  enormous  hay  stacks.  They  are  generally  cir- 
cular ;  and  some  of  them,  at  a  great  height,  have  space 
enough  on  the  top  to  contain  several  hundred  men.  The 
largest  of  these  mounds  is  a  stupendous  pile  of  earth,  to 
form  which  must  have  required  the  labors  of  thousands 
for  years.  It  stands  immediately  on  the  bank  of  the  Ka- 
hokia. Were  it  not  for  the  regularity  and  design  dis- 
played, the  plain  alluvial  ground  on  which  it  stands,  and 
the  great  number  of  others  scattered  around  it,  we  could 
scarce  believe  it  the  work  of  human  hands.  The  shape 
is  a  parallelogram  from  north  to  south ;  on  the  south  is  a 


I'llELIMlNARY  TIEMARKS. 


47 


broail  apron,  about  half  way  down,  and  fioni  this  another 
projection,  nearly  15  feet  wide  ;  the  whole  circumference 
800  yards,  and  the  height  of  the  mound  about  90  feet. — 
The  monks  of  La  Trappe  have  settled  near  it,  who  have 
made  the  apron  into  a  kitchen  garden,  and  sowed  the  top 
Avith  wheat.  The  extraordinary  appearance  of  this  clus- 
ter of  mounds,  forces  conviction  on  the  reflecting  mind, 
that  tliey  are  the  only  relics  which  time  has  secured  from 
oblivion,  of  a  great  and  populous  city.  The  large  mounds 
were  probably  sites  of  temples,  and  many  of  the  smaller 
ones  monuments  of  distinguished  chiefs.  There  is  per- 
haps no  spot  in  the  west  capable  of  producing  more  abun- 
dantly, and  supporting  a  more  numerous  population  than 
this  valley,  called  the  American  Bottom,  which  is  a  tract 
of  rich  alluvion,  extending  on  tlie  Mississippi  from  the 
Kaskaskia  to  the  Kahokia  rivers,  about  eighty  miles  in 
length,  and  from  three  to  twelve  miles  in  breadth.  The 
great  number  of  mounds,  and  the  surprising  quantity  of 
human  bones  every  where  dug  up,  or  found  on  the  surface 
of  the  ground,  with  divers  other  appearances,  prove  this 
valley  to  have  been  anciently  filled  wi  ;h  the  habitations 
of  men. 

*  Near  St.  Louis  is  a  curious  work,  much  admired,  called 
the  Fallen  Garden.  It  suggests  to  the  spectator  the  idea 
of  a  situation  for  assembling  the  people  for  public  councils. 
The  time  would  fail  us  in  presenting  to  our  readers 
all  these  curious  works  of  antiquity,  so.  widely  scattered 
over  tlie  Ohio  and  Mississippi  valleys,  which  demon- 
strate the  existence  of  millions  of  human  beings  v,ho 
probably  flourished  more  than  a  thousand  years  ago — 
wiiose  numbers  and  social  condition  is  so  remote  from 
historical  research,  that  even  the  confused  annals  of  tra- 
dition present  not  the  most  indistinct  view  of  them. 


n 


1  f 

\ 


48  PREUMINARV  REMARKS. 

NATURAL  CURIOSITIKS.' 

The  Gates  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  so  called,  on  the, 
Missouri,  present  a  great  curiosity.  For  tlie  distance  of 
more  than  five  miles  the  rocks  rise  in  perpendicular 
height  from  the  surface  of  the  water  nearly  1200  feet. — 
There  the  waters  of  that  great  river  are  compressed  with- 
in the  compass  of  150  yards  wide  ;  and  for  three  miles, 
there  is  but  one  small  space,  on  which  a  man  can  stand, 
between  the  water  and  the  perpendicular  ascent  of  the 
mountain. 

There  are  numerous  caverns,  of  great  extent  and  mag- 
nitude, in  the  states  of  Kentucky,  Tennessee  and  Indiana, 
in  which  large  quantities  of  salt  petre  are  made.  In 
Rock  Castle  county,  Kentucky,  tliere  is  a  cave  so  large, 
that  a  yoke  of  oxen  and  a  cart  can  be  driven  in  at  one 
side  of  a  hill,  half  a  mile  through,  and  out  at  the  other. 
In  the  countv  of  Warren  is  anotlier,  which  has  been  ex- 
plored  for  seven  miles,  without  finding  the  extremity. — 
There  are  tluee  natural  fountains  of  bitumen,  which,  it 
is  said,  have  proved  a  useful  substitute  for  lamp  oil. 

In  the  state  of  Indiana,  not  far  from  Big  Blue  river, 
is  a  spacious  cave,  more  than  two  miles  in  extent.  The 
entrance  is  in  the  side  of  an  elevated  hill.  Large  quan- 
tities of  Epsom  salt,  and  salt  petre,  are  found  in  this  cave.' 
Here  numerous  calcareous  exudations  are  displayed  in 
a  variety  of  shapes,  resembling  artificial  carvings.  Bats 
inhabiting  this  cave  are  numerous ;  and  it  is  necessary 
for  an  adventurer  who  would  explore  it,  to  preserve  his 
torcli  or  candle  from  extinguishment  by  those  creatures, 
with  a  lantern.  Within  the  the  tract  called  the  barrens, 
expanding  in  divers  directions  several  miles,  there  are 
various  other  large  caves ;  on  the  bottoms  of  some  of 
which  flow  streams  of  water,  large  enough  to  drive  millSf 


If 


rnELlMIXAllV  HEMARKS. 


4i) 


There  is  iu  tlie  county  of  Orange,  in  this  state,  a  large 
gtrcam,  called  Lost  river; — after  flowing  several  miles 
on  the  surface,  the  \vhole  current  suddenly  sinks  into  the 
earth,  and  is  never  seen  or  heard  of  more.  Near  a  creek 
that  joins  the  Oliio  about  a  mile  west  of  New«Alb  iny,  is 
a  spring,  so  strongly  impregnated  with  sulphurated  hy- 
drogen gas,  as  to  j)roduce  combustion,  by  placing  a  torch 
or  lighted  candle  a  little  above  the  water.  About  six 
miles  northwest  of  Corydon,  near  the  Big  Blue  river,  just 
above  the  base  of  an  elevated  hill,  bursts  from  amidst 
the  rocks,  a  cold  spring,  which  in  the  dryest  seasons  is 
copious  enough  to  drive  two  pair  of  stones  and  a  saw,  in 
an  elegant  stone  mill,  built  just  by  its  moutli.  There 
are  many  other  springs  of  this  description,  cold  as  any 
well  water,  on  which  profitable  mills  are  uuilt,  within 
this  state. 

The  Grand  Saline  is  between  two  forks  of  a  small 
branch  of  the  Arkansaw,  about  280  miles  southwest  of 
Fort  Osage.  It  is  a  hard,  level  plain,  of  a  reddish  color- 
ed sand,  of  an  irregular  figure,  being  in  circumfeience 
full  thirty  miles.  From  the  appearance  of  driftwood 
scattered  on  this  tract,  it  would  seem,  the  whole  plain 

as  occasionally  overflowed  by  the  surrounding  streams. 
I'his  plain  is  entirely  covered,  in  dry  hot  weather,  from 
two  to  six  inches  deep,  with  a  crust  of  beautiful,  clean, 
I  white  salt,  of  a  quality  rather  superior  to  the  imported 
I  blown  salt,wluch  bears  a  striking  resemblance  to  a  field 
jof  new  fallen  snow,  succeeded  by  rain,  with  a  light 
crust  on  tlie  top.  No  tiling  can  be  more  picturesque 
jon  a  bright  sunny  morning,  than  tliis  natuial  curiosity. 

B 


mmmm 


m 


00 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


ANIMALS. 

Of  the  wild  animals  which  range  in  the  western  forest, 
we  shall  attempt  to  describa  those  only  which  are  most 
remai  kable.     Among  this  number  may  be  classed  the 

Grizzly  Bear. — He  is  strong  as  the  lion,  and  terrible 
as  the  tyger  of  Bengal.     He  does  not,  like  most  other 
animals,  flee  from  the  face  of  man,  but  pursues  him.   And 
so  dreadful  is  his  approach,  that  his  destruction  by  an 
Indian  warrior  is  more  honorable  than  the  scalp  of  a 
human  enemy.    He  is  nearly  four  times  the  size  of  a 
common  bear.    Of  one  killed  by  Lewis  and  Clark,  2000 
miles  up  tlie  Missouri,  the  following  dimensions  arc 
given :  round  the  head,  3  feet  5  inches ;  round  the  neck, 
S  feet  1 1  inches ;  length,  8  feet  7|  inches ;  round  the  fore 
]c^  1  foot  1 1  inches ;  length  of  talon?,  4^  inches.    Their 
whole  weight  has  been  known  to  exceed  1200  lbs.     He 
masters  and  devours  the  largest  buffalo.     His  color  is 
commonly  giay,  and  varies  through  all  the  intennec' 
hues,  fiom  black  to  white.    The  skins  will  sell  for  4o  ^i 
50  dollars,  and  are  much  esteemed  for  muffs  and  tippets. 
This  bear  is  rarely  seen  in  a  lower  latitude  than  45°.— 
The  Indians  and  hunters  escape  his  pursuit,  from  his 
wanting  a  faculty  to  climb.     The  former  complain  of  the 
loss  of  some  of  their  best  warriors  by  this  animal.  |TEhe 
men  of  Lewis  and  Clark  often  narrowly  escaped  him. 

The  Jlntelope,  a  species  of  deer,  is  a  beautiful  animal. 
He  is  small,  and  goes  in  flocks  of  several  hundreds,  on 
the  Missouri,  above  the  Platte.  They  are  taken  by  the 
Indians,  by  being  driven  into  the  water,  and  killed  with 
clubs.  ': 

The  Mountain  Sheep,  so  called— to  which  animal  thejf 
have  little  resemblance,  except  in  the  feet,  head  and  horns, 
the  latter  of  which  are  enormously  large,  being  two  feet 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


51 


in  length,  and  four  or  five  inches  in  diameter — are  larger 
than  the  deer,  having  a  fine  soft  hair,  colored  wiiito  on  the 
rump,  but  elsewhere  of  a  dun  hue.  They  are  shy,  clam- 
ber over  the  crao;cy  clift's,  and  graze  upon  the  most  peril- 
ous precipices  of  the  mountain's  top. 

The  Buffalo  recedes  from  the  haunts  of  civilized  man. 
The  Ohio  valley  formerly  aboiinded  with  this  animal.— 
Numerous  flocks  were  spread  over  the  region  constituting 
the  states  of  Kentucky,  Ohio,  Indiana  and  Illinois.  Im- 
mense herds  of  tliem  are  now  to  be  seen  north  of  the 
Illinois,  and  on  tlic  extensive  plains  of  the  Missouri.— 
These  animals  have  often  been  found  in  flocks  so  nume- 
rous, as  to  cover  the  desert  in  which  they  range  further 
than  the  eye  could  reach.  It  has  been  estimated  that 
some  of  those  herds  amount  to  more  than  50,000  head. 
In  the  dry  seasons  they  frequent  the  valleys  of  the  great 
rivers;  but  they  make  regular  migrations  fr(;ia  north  to 
south,  when  they  exhibit  a  regular  train,  marching  or 
swimming  across  the  Missouri  for  several  days,  like  th« 

'  procession  of  a  great  army. 

Elk  and  Deer  are  very  numerous,  west  of  the  Missis- 

[sippi.  Of  the  latter  are  two  species  : — the  black  tailed, 
or  mule,  are  noted  for  long  ears,  and  tails  almost  with- 
out hair,  except  at  the  end,  where  is  a  small  tuft  of  a 

[black  color.    The  other  kind  has  small  horns,  with  tails 

[about  twenty  inches  long. 

The  Badger,  different  species  of  Wolves,  and  a  Hare, 

[gray  in  summer  and  white  in  winter,  are  often  seen  in 
lis  country. 
The  Praira  Dog,  found  here,  is  a  curious  animal.     It 

[inhabits  burrows ;  is  about  one-third  larger  than  the  fox 
squirrel ;  has  a  thick,clumsy  head,  large  jaws,  full,  large 
fcyes,  with  sniall  ears ;  possesses  a  long  body,  short  legs, 


0; 


;<> 


pheltminary  bemauks. 


and  a  delicate  small  tail ;  the  hair  shoi-t  and  sleek,  of  a 
light  gray,  except  on  the  bell  v,  which  is  white.  The  noise 
it  makes  is  not  unlike  that  of  a  ground  squirrel,  but  much 
louder,  and  somewhat  resembles  the  barking  of  a  small 
cur.  When  met  from  home,  on  its  first  approach  it  is 
very  fierce,  altliough  it  may  be  easily  caught,  and  in  a 
few  days  is  domesticated,  iind  fond  of  being  caressed.— 
It  seldom  drinks ;  feeds  on  the  grass  near  its  hole,  and 
remains  torpid  during  the  winter  months.  The  towni, 
(for  so  they  are  called)  inhabited  by  this  curious  little 
animal,  frequently  more  than  a  mile  in  length,  are  in  the 
large  prairas,  300  miles  v  est  of  the  Mississippi — on  the 
slopes  of  hills,  distant  from  water  courses.  The  approach 
of  a  stranger  is  announced  by  the  barking  of  all  the  curs 
in  the  village :  they  now  take  their  stand  behind  the 
small  hillocks  near  their  holes,  into  which  they  retreat 
as  tlie  visitant  approaches.  The  wolves  have  declared 
war  against  these  republics,  and  often  make  great  havoc 
among  the  feeble  inoftensive  citizens. 

The  Gopher  is  considered  a  nondescript.  It  lives  in 
the  prairas,  under  ground.  It  somewhat  resembles  the 
mole,  though  twice  as  large ;  having  at  each  jaw  a  kind 
of  bag  or  purse,  an  inch  and  a  half  long,  used  to  convey 
food  to,  or  transport  dirt  from  its  hole.  It  throws  up 
large  quantities  of  earth,  three  or  four  feet  in  height. 

The  •Alligator,  too  well  known  to  require  description, 
is  not  now  dreaded  by  tlie  inhabitants,  though  it  formerly 
was  considered  ferocious  and  dangerous.  The  use  of 
their  skins  for  saddles  and  shoes,  has  caused  their  num- 
bers to  be  greatly  diminished  of  late  years. 

The  Camelion  is  very  conmion  in  the  southern  jjarts : 
and  it  is  said  that  the  fkorition  and  TaranUda  exist 
there, 


r». 


PRELIMINARir  REMARKS. 


ii^niil 


5S 


Among  the  feathered  tribes  of  the  west  is  the  Traira 
ffeih  a  beautiful  bird,  which  in  winter  frecjucnts  barn 
yards  in  large  flocks ;  is  larger  than  the  pheasant,  which 
it  resembles  in  color,  but  in  shape  is  more  like  the  guinea 
hen.  It  is  easily  domesticated.  The  flesh  is  dry,  dark 
colored,  and  not  agreeable  to  the  taste.  On  the  Missouri 
is  a  fine  bird,  much  resembling  a  pheasant,  but  as  large  as 
a  turkey  hen.  The  Ma^ie  is  found  in  great  numbers 
on  the  Missouri.  The  plumage  of  tlie  Columbia  Fart- 
ridge  is  very  beautiful. 


Of  the  Fish  in  the  western  waters,  it  is  remarkable, 
that  there  are  many  of  a  distinct  species  from  any  which 
swim  in  the  streams  of  the  Atlantic  shores,  ^fhe  narrow 
limits  prescribed  to  our  work,  will  not  admit  of  a  classical, 
nor  of  a  particuhir  description  of  each  species ;  nor  shall 
we  attempt  to  emorace  in  our  list  all  the  numerous  tribes 
which  traverse  the  waters  of  the  Mississippi  and  its  tribu- 
tary streams.  Of  those  most  worthy  of  note,  the  follow- 
ing ia  a  I  ntalogue,  as  named  after  the  manner  of  the  coun- 
try :— cat  fish,  perch,  pike,bas:s,  buffalo,  suckers,  sturgeon, 
hickory  shad,  flat  fish,  salmon,  (bearing  no  resemblance, 
except  in  form,  to  that  fish,  properly  so  called,  in  the 
streams  of  the  Atlantic)  eels,  bill  fish,  black  fish,  gars, 
rock  fish,  sun  fish,  mullet  and  herrings.  The  fish  of  the 
western  rivers  are  inferior  in  quality  either  to  the  salt, 
or  fresh  water  fish  of  the  east.  Indeed,  such  as  are  of 
tlie  same  species,  are  much  less  nutritious  a;  \  well  fla- 
Tored,  than  those  in  the  Atlantic  strejims.  lliis  inferi- 
ority,  perhaps,  may  be  traced  to  the  lower  temperature 
of  the  waters  the  latter  swim  in.  Soutliem  latitudes,  by 
causing  the  waters  to  imbibe  a  larger  portion  of  heat,  ren- 
dering the  fish  more  soft  and  insipid.    Of  all  these  tribes 


51 


PRELIMIXARY  REMATIKS. 


of  fish,  the  cat,  which  Is  esteemed  among  those  of  the 
best  quality,  is  the  most  remarkable  for  its  size,  weij^king 
from  20  to  ITO  pounds.  The  foregoing  remarks  are  to 
be  understood  as  having  no  reference  to  the  western 
lakes,  and  the  streams  that  empty  into  them.  ^ 


The  IsDt AS  Ratios s  occupying  the  vast  plains  and 
forests  within  tlie.  reg;ion  of  the  Mississippi,  Missoiirif 
and  their  respective  tributary  streams,  above  St.  Louis, 
consist  of  about  seventy  distinct  ti-ibes,  the  whole  popu- 
lation of  whicli  is  estimated  at  102,000  souls,  and  their 
number  of  wai-riors  at  28,000. 

The  stature  of  tlicse  natives,  of  whirli  tlie  Snake  tribe 
is  the  largest,  may  generally  be  considered  a  size  larger 
than  the  \\  hites.  It  is  supposed  the  aggregate  population 
of  all  the.tnl>es  has  diminished  nine-tenths  witliin  thirty- 
five  yeai^s,  principally  by  the  small  pox.  The  population 
is  very  thin,  and  disproportionate  to  the  great  extent  of 
space  occuj>ied.  Among  all  the  tribes,  there  are  not  ten 
villages,  permanently  settled  dov/n,  and  inured  to  agri- 
cultural liablts.  The  most  of  these  savages  wander  in 
tribes  through  th".  vast  plains  and  forests,  carrying  with 
thein,  by  the  t.  d  of  their  horses  and  dogs,  all  their  pro- 
perty ;  except  their  corn,  and  a  few  heavy  articles,  which 
they  :?ccrete  in  secure  places  until  their  return.  Whole 
herds  of  buiraio,  like  the  Hocks  of  th.e  Tartars,  are  dnven 
before  t!;em,  on  wi)ich  they  feed,  kindling  their  fires  with 
Uie  ordure  wiiich  is  dropped  from  these  animals. 

Their  ruling  passion  is  the  love  of  war,  and  a  thirst 
for.  tl-e  bh'od  of  Uieir  enemies,  whom  tliey  often  pursue 
more  tha?i  a  Uiousand  miles.  Their  arms  principally  are 
bows,  spear!^,  clubs,  and  light  fubces]  but  in  hunting  the 
bov/  is  th.c  main  weapon. 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


55 


Hie  Piode  of  traffic  between  the  several  tribes,  is  sin- 
gular. Tliere  is  no  estimate  of  the  thing.^  sold,  nor  dii- 
putc  about  the  price.  One  tribe  encamps  neai'  the  village 
of  another,  and  after  exchanging  mutual  civilities,  one 
party  makes  a  present  of  all  the  articles  tliey  can  spare ; 
the  other  in  return  makes  a  similar  present,  and  the  in- 
tercourse is  concluded  by  a  variety  of  pastimes  and  na- 
tional dances,  in  which  recreation  each  tribe  joins  the 
other  with  mutual  harmony  and  friendship.  They  hold 
in  contempt  tlie  mode  of  traffic  by  civilized  nations—* 
alleging  that  the  weighing  and  measuring  of  trifles  dis- 
plays a  narrow  and  mean  spirit. 

In  the  opinion  of  Gen.  Clark,  who  traversed  that  re- 
gion with  Gov.  Lewis,  the  number  of  Indians  on  the  Co- 
lumbia, and  the  Multnomack,  flowing  into  it  sixty  miles- 
from  the  Pacific,  including  the  extensive  country  through 
which  tlie  various  tributary  streams  of  each  of  those  rivers 
pass,  could  not  be  mach  less  than  one  hundred  thousand. 

Tlie  west  hank  of  the  Ohio,  from  the  state  of  Pcnnsyl' 
vania  to  the  J\lississippi,  it  seems,  is  destined  to  be  an  ex- 
tensive houndarij  between  the  free  and  the  i  ik  statefi. 
And  a  great  experiment  is  about  to  be  made,  m  a  confe- 
derated republic,  by  the  effects  of  slavery  on  the  i,  lis 
and  manners  of  republican  freemen.  As  the  natural 
causes,  connected  with  the  welfare  of  the  community,  in 
the  states  on  both  sides  of  the  Ohio  may  be  considered 
equal,  tlie  preponderating  influence  of  slavery  on  the 
manners  and  morals  of  the  whites,  and  indeed,  on  the 
rational  felicity  of  individuals,  and  the  substantial  pros- 
perity of  republican  institutions,  will  afford  a  matter  of 
curious  speculation  for  the  political  philosopher.  It  is, 
however,  beyond  a  doubt,  that  the  restJt  will  not  be  uft- 
propitious  to  the  cause  of  freedom. 


m 


PRELIHINARY  REMAKKS. 


li 


AUhmgh  little  is  known  of  the  particular  geography 
of  the  FloridaSf  their  cession  to  the  United  States  by  the 
Spanish  government,  will  not  be  foreign  to  our  subject. — 
"West  FlcMida,  when  considered  alone,  and  disconnected 
from  the  country  north  of  it,  is  not  of  considerable  value  ; 
yet,  possessing  all  the  avenues  of  commerce  to  and  from 
that  large  productive  country,  extending  to  the  souices 
of  the  Pearl,  Pascagoula,  Tombigbee,  Alabama,  Conecah, 
Caltachoca  and  Flint  rivers,  the  acquisition  of  this  pro- 
vince is  highly  important.  Live  oak  and  red  cedar,  tim- 
ber of  the  first  quality  for  ship  building,  abound  on  the 
coast,  which  is  rare  on  lands  of  the  United  States.  The 
harbors  are  numerous,  and  safe  for  coasters;  that  of 
Pensacola  admitting  vessels  of  almost  any  burden.  All 
these  considerations  render  that  district  commercially 
important,  and  a  most  valuable  acquisition  to  the  U.  S. 

East  Florida  is  less  important  from  its  extent  of  terri- 
tory, and  quality  of  soil,  than  from  the  protection  its 
situation  will  afford  to  the  commerce  between  the  Atlan- 
tic and  western  states.  It  may  be  considered  a  key  to 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico ;  and  is  a  most  convenient  position 
from  whence  as  well  to  protect  our  own  merchantmen,  ai 
to  annoy  those  of  a  belligerent  enemy,  concerned  in  the 
trade  of  the  West  India  islands.  Hordes  of  pirates  and 
picaroons  from  the  Bahama  islands  will  no  longer  find 
shelter  in  this  province,  to  molest  the  lawful  commerce 
of  tlie  high  seas;  nor  will  foreign  incendiaries  here  longer 
find  protection  from  the  imbecility  of  a  feeble  adminis- 
trationi  like  that  of  old  Spain. 

The  cbuntry  west  of  the  Mleganies  was  first  disco* 
vered  and  traversed  by  the  French.  The  settlements 
made  around  and  above  the  Gulf  of  St  I<awrence,  under 
Ihft  patronage  of  the  king  of  France,  opened  the  way  for 


FBELUimART  RBHAKKS, 


«7 


the  discovery  of  that  extensive  range  of  country  border- 
ing on  the  waters  of  the  Mississippi  and  Ohio. 

In  1671  a  Frenchman  from  Canada,  named  Marquette, 
ascended  the  Fox  river  from  lake  Michigan,  and,  de- 
scending the  Ouisconsing,  first  discovered  the  Missis- 
sippi, and  explored  it  to  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri. 

La  Salle  was  the  first  white  man  who  traversed  tlie 
region  from  the  St  Lawrence  to  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi, 
and  discovered  the  mouth  of  the  latter,  in  1680.  Soon 
after  this  period,  a  French  colony  was  sent  out,  to  take 
possession  of  the  country.  But  no  settlements  were 
made  on  the  watei*s  of  the  Ohio,  until  the  year  1735 ; 
when  the  French  made  a  permanent  establishment  at 
Vincennes.  The  British  government,  resolving  to  en- 
force their  claim  to  this  western  region,  granted  600,000 
acres  of  land,  on  the  waters  of  the  Ohio,  to  a  company,  in 
1750.  The  jealousy  of  the  French  prompted  them  to 
open  a  communication  from  the  fort  at  Presqu*  Isle  down 
the  Allegany  to  the  Ohio,  and  in  1753  erected,  at  the 
junction  of  the  rivers  Allegany  and  Monongahela,  Fort 
Du  Quesne, — which  they  were  compelled  by  the  British 
in  1758  to  evacuate,  who  changed  the  name  to  Fort  Pitt, 
now  Pittsburgh. 

In  1763  the  French  ceded  to  the  British  all  claims  to 
the  territory  between  the  AUeganies  and  the  Mis»ssippi. 
Tht  /evolutionary  war  soon  checked  the  progress  of  emi- 
gration to  the  Ohio.  The  terror  inspired  by  the  hostile 
disposition  of  the  natives,  preventetl  any  settlementg 
within  the  limits  of  the  state  of  Ohio,  until  1788.  In  tht 
spring  season  of  that  year,  the  Ohio  Company,  under  the 
management  of  Rufus  Putnam,  commenced  a  settlement, 
consisting  of  emigrants  from  New-Elngland,  at  the  mouth 
•f  the  Muskingum,  to  which  tbey  gave  the  name  of  Mari- 


56 


TRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


ctta.  In  the  succeeding  autumn,  John  Cleves  Symmci?, 
from  the  state  ol  New-Jersey,  made  the  next  settlement, 
at  North  Bend,  five  miles  above  the  moutli  of  the  Great 
Miami.  About  the  same  time  Fort  Washington  was 
erected  at  Cincinnati,  and  a  settlement  commenced  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Little  Miami,  called  Columbia.  The 
barbarous  incursions  of  the  savages,  however,  opposed  a 
powerful  check  to  emigration,  until  the  victory  of  Wayne, 
which  was  followed  by  the  treaty  of  Greenville,  in  1795. 
Since  this  period,  population  has  continued  to  flow  from 
the  east  into  the  western  country,  to  an  extent  which 
has  exceeded  the  most  sanguine  expectations. 


How  largp  (t  range  of  territory  ^  a  free  Republic^  like 
that  of  the  United  States,  can  successfullij  eoctend  Us 
jtirisdiction  over,  yet  remains  a  problematical  question ; 
there  being,  in  tlie  history  of  man,  no  parallel  to  our 
federal  constitution,  whence  light  can  be  obtained  by  the 
sage  or  the  statesman,  that  will  direct  his  labors  to  an 
experimental,  demonstrative  result,  in  his  deliberations 
on  this  most  interesting  subject. 

The  republics  of  Greece,  Carthage  and  Rome,  among 
the  ancients  ;  and  of  the  Swiss  Cantons,  and  Seven  Uni- 
ted Provinces,  among  the  moderns;  while  they  displayed, 
under  various  impediments,  the  wonderful  effects  of  the 
accumulated  energies  of  the  people,  directed  by  them- 
selves,— -lacked  those  apportionments,  checks  and  balan- 
ces of  power,  which  impart  stability  and  duration  to  civil 
institutions. 

Political  confederacies  some  of  them  certainly  had ; 
but  they  were  as  ropes  of  sand,  all  rendered  weak  by 
their  party  patriotism,  and  their  adherence  to  local  inter- 
ests.   And  these  strong  passions,  continually  opposing 


PRELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


0d 


barriers  to  the  general  regulations,  provided  for  the  good 
of  the  whole, -the  federative  government  had  not  power 
to  extinguish,  or  control.  Each  of  these  systems  had 
several  distinct  bodies  politic,  with  several  heads  and 
several  wills,  without  authority  in  the  federal  head  to 
coerce  the  citizens.  Nor  were  those  heads,  that  seemed 
without  means  to  execute  their  wills,  in  some  of  their 
principal  features,  unlike  the  old  confederation  of  the 
United  States,  that  possessed  no  other  power  of  control- 
ling the  members  of  the  federative  body,  than  that  of  re- 
commendation. 

Nothing  less  than  common  danger  could  hold  the  sys- 
tem together,  nor  effect  unity  of  design  and  combined 
exertion.  The  government  lacked  strength  to  enforce 
obedience  to  its  will,  and  to  resist  the  violence  offered  tc 
public  authority,  by  punishing  the  licentiousness  of  faction. 
The  confidence  of  the  people  in  their  political  jugglers, 
or  of  tlie  numerous  veteran  soldiery  in  their  popular 
military  chief,  rendered  them  stronger  than  the  laws.—* 
The  patriotism  of  the  people,  through  ignorance  mista- 
king their  feelings  and  attachments  for  a  knowledge  of 
their  rights,  committed  the  care  of  their  lives  and  fortunes 
to  their  unprincipled  favorites ;  or  a  brave  army  returning 
from  foreign  conquests,  devoted  to  their  general,  seconded 
liis  efforts  in  causing  the  people  to  acknowledge  his  right 
of  controlling  them ;  a  surrender  of  privileges  which  they 
had  not  power  to  forbear  making,  nor  means  of  recover* 
jng  back  into  tlieir  own  possession, 

Such  has  not  been  Jie  diseased  state  of  our  body  poli- 
tic, as  to  encourage  a  Tarquin,  a  Pisistratus,  a  Julius 
Cffisar,  or  a  Bonaparte,  to  seize  upon  the  liberties  of  the 
country.  For,  though  the  lust  of  power  in  all  ages  is  the 
$arae,  tlie  unsuccessful  attempt  of  Aaron  Burr  shows,  thftt 


60 


rRELlMlXABY  REMARKS. 


B     Pi 


the  state  of  society  in  the  United  States  affords  no  faci« 
lities,  either  to  make  despots,  or  to  destroy  tJie  social 
compact  of  tlie  nation. 

An  improper  apportionment  of  power  among  the  civil 
functionaries,  a  want  of  due  energy  in  the  organization  of 
government,  together  with  ignorance  and  bad  morals  in 
the  people,  constitute  the  materials  which  consolidate 
and  concentrate  all  power  in  one  man,  thereby  vesting 
him  with  uncontrollable  command  over  the  lives  and 
fortunes  of  all  the  citizens  : — a  state  of  society  which 
God  forbid  the  free  born  sons  of  America  should  ever 
realize ! 

The  foregoing  remarks  we  have  thought  proper  to  pre- 
mise, by  way  of  replying  to  the  prediction  of  certain  Eu- 
1  jpcd*;  politicians,  that  a  separation  of  the  Atlantic  from 
the  western  states  will  eventually  take  place.  The  pre- 
diction of  such  an  event,  by  those  philosophers,  must 
have  been  grounded  rather  on  the  fate  of  republics,  as 
recorded  in  history,  and  the  notions  which  have  long  pre- 
vailed, that  a  republic  could  not  be  extended  efficiently 
over  a  large  portion  of  territory,- — than  from  a  critical 
knowledge  of  tlie  nature  and  operation  of  our  federal 
compact,  and  a  comprehensive  view  of  the  state  of  society 
in  the  United  States. 

But  the  present  government  of  the  United  States  pre- 
sents a  model,  of  which  history  gives  us  no  example- 
Here  are  divers  independent  sovereignties,  with  powers 
to  legislate  on  all  minor,  local  and  domestic  concems, 
and  yet  the  citizens  of  each  state,  whose  laws  they  are 
obliged  to  obey,  remain  subject  also  to  tlie  paramount 
laws  of  the  national  legislature.  A  government  thus 
constituted,  affords  ample  security  against  the  violence 
of  party  factions,  (the  precursors  of  disunion)  as  each 


'RELIMINARY  REMARKS. 


«f 


From  considering  the  constitution  ar  d  fate  of  any  other 
republic  which  has  existed,  no  corrtci:  inferences  can  be 
(havvnby  way  of  reasoning  from  analogy,  which  are  ap- 
plicable to  tlie  United  States.  It  is  true,  the  Achean 
League  among  the  ancient  Greeks,  and  tlie  confederaciea 
of  the  Swiss  Cantons,  and  Seven  United  Provinces,  in 
modern  lijnes,  bore  a  remote  resemblance  to  our  national 
compact.  In  some  few  points  there  was  a  distant  like- 
ness ;  but,  in  the  modes  of  thinking  among  the  commo» 
people,  whose  minds  from  infancy  had  been  strongly  im- 
bued with  republican  principles  of  independence;  and 
perfect  equality — in  the  education  of  youth  by  common 
schools — in  the  means  of  acquiring  useful  knowledge  by 
extensive  commerce — by  the  art  of  printing — by  the  es- 
tablishment of  social  libraries,  accessible  to  all  classes  of 
the  community — by  the  circulation  of  pamphlets  and 
newspapers— in  the  great  variety  of  climate  ;  whereby 
the  states  most  remote  are  most  closely  connected  by  the 
[ties  of  commerce,  mutually  advantageous — and  in  the 
cool  deliberate  good  sense  and  political  information,  gen- 
erally pervading  all  classes  of  the  citizens,  who  view 
[with  disgust,  and  as  the  harbingeis  of  tyranny,  all  riotous 
[mobs  and  tumultuous  assemt^Ies,  and  attempts  to  sever 
(the  union ;— in  tliese  prominent  features  which  distinguish 
[our  countrymen,  there  are  nq  points  of  comparison  be- 
tween the  American  and  any  other  republic  of  which  his- 
tory has  transmitted  any  notice. 

The  great  national  ami  commercial  privileges  of  the 
)cean  are  open,  almost  exclusively,  to  the  inhabitants  of 
the  east;  and  an  immense  body  of  rich,  wonderfully  pro« 
liictive  interior  lands,  to  the  peojile  of  the  west.  The  one 
possesses  the  ships  and  the  sailors;  the  means  of  trans<^ 

F 


62 


preliminahy  remarks. 


portation  to  foreign  markets ;  and  the  other,  the  abundant 
produce ;  each  finding  in  a  free  commercial  intercourse 
(that  effectually  could  be  preserved  not  otherwise  than 
by  living  under  tlie  same  laws)  whereby  irutual  wants 
can  be  supplied  by  mutual  means ;  all  closely  drawn  to 
B  harmonious  union  by  the  strongest  ties  of  consanguini- 
ty, early  friendships  and  mercantile  connexions.  What 
demon  of  discord  can  be  so  potent  as  to  create  motives 
of  disunion,  and  to  dissolve  these  bands  asunder  ?  The 
east  by  ploughing  the  ocean  will  protect  the  maritime 
rights  of  the  nation,  without  which  the  surplus  produce 
of  the  west  would  not  be  worth  raising ;  while  the  west 
by  ploughing  the  land,  feed  them  j  furnish  raw  materials 
for  clothing ;  and  defend  the  frontiers.  By  severing  the 
union,  the  physical  strengtli  of  the  whole  is  diminished. 
Each  section  having  a  new  enemy  to  contend  with,  the 
more  inveterate,  from  being  an  old  friend ;  a  perpetual 
source  of  hostilities  is  created ;  a  kind  of  social  wars  en- 
sue, always  the  most  distressing  and  destructive  that 
can  be  found  in  the  annals  of  history. 

We  think  it  will  not  be  romantic  to  predict  that  the 
period  is  not  far  distant,  when  the  United  States  and 
the  potent  empire  of  Russia  will  be  the  two  great  master 
nations  of  the  world.  If  the  extensive  coast  of  Califor- 
nia be  ceded  to  the  latter,  we  may,  perhaps,  without  be- 
ing taken  for  maniacs,  hazard  an  opinion,  that  the  peo- 
ple of  this  western  region  will  eventually  be  compelled 
to  defend  themselves  against  the  encroachments  of  that 
gigantic  power.  -Should  this  event  happen  after  a  dis- 
union, how  bitterly  would  posterity  curse  those  progeni- 
tors who  effected  it  !  But  we  will  not  anticipate  so  dis- 
astrous an  evsnt    To  conclude :— -a  govemmsnt  organ- 


PBELIMINARV  REMARKS. 


6S 


izetl  as  is  that  of  tlie  federal  compact,  is  a  grand  politi- 
cal arch,  cemented  together  by  the  love  of  liberty,  de- 
riving strength  from  its  own  ponderous  weight ;  whose 
keystoo^  is  the  federal  union,  wliich  imparts  combina- 
tion and  stability  to  the  whole  political  edifice ;  and  will, 
we  trust,  like  an  ancient  pyramid  of  Egypt,  resist  the 
ravages  of  time  and  the  united  efforts  of  human  skill 
and  ambitioD  to  annoy  it. 


GEOOTULTUlCa^li  STS.liTtJl\¥.!%. 


Having,  in  our  preliminary  remarks,  treated  of  sub- 
jects of  a  general'^iature,  we  proceed  to  give  a  more  com- 
pendious geographical  description  of  tlie  western  country, 
as  delineated  and  parcelled  off  into  separate  states  and 
territories,  by  tJie  acts  of  Congress. 

The  artificial  boundaries  of  counties  and  districts  we 
shall  not  attempt  to  delineate,  as  they  would  occupy  a 
considerable  space,  to  the  exclusion  of  more  useful  mat- 
ter, and  their  location  can  be  much  better  understood 
from  a  well  executed  map,  than  from  any  description  in 
words.  Nor  have  we  thought  it  would  be  useful  or  in- 
teresting to  insert  the  peculiar  features  or  outlines  of  the 
several  state  constitutions,  nor  other  civil  regulations, 
which  pertain  to  municipal  policy.  Customs,  mannerSi 
and  tlie  peculiarities  which  characterize  local  districts, 
or  classes  of  people,  who  inhabit  the  west,  we  shall  not 
present  to  our  readers,  as  the  settlements  here  are  yet  wi 
recent  to  have  produced  that  assimilation  of  heterogeneous 
character,  which  can  be  denominated  national,  or  peculiar 
to  the  people  of  any  considerable  portion  of  territory. 

Having  prescribed  to  ourselves  the  limits  of  a  small 
volume,  on  a  subject  which  embraces  a  vast  range  of  mul- 
tifarious and  important  matter,  we  trust  oiy*  readers  will 
jaot  expect  (to  spoak  in  the  language  of  painters)  more 


OHIO. 


06 


from  us  than  such  a  groupe  of  the  most  interesting  ima- 
ges, as  can  be  thrown  together  upon  a  narrow  canvass^— 
'J'hus  liuiited  to  this  contracted  space,  we  have  labored 
ill  our  vocation  to  enrich  it,  will  the  zeal  of  a  faithful 
historian,  and  with  all  the  minute^  persevering  drudgery 
of  a  geographical  philosopher. 

Ohio  being  the  most  easterly  tract  of  which  we  propose 
to  give  geographic  sketches,  we  shall  commence  witli 
tliat  state,  and  proceed  in  course  to  make  our  remarks 
on  the  western  section  of  the  United  States. 

OHIO. 


Tlic  state  of  Oliio  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Michi- 
gan Territory,  and  lake  Esic,  which  separate  it  from 
Lpper  Canada;  east  by  Pennsylvania  and  the  Ohio 
river  ;  south  also  by  said  river,  which  separates  it  from 
Virginia  and  Kentucky  ;  and  on  the  west  by  tlie  state  of 
indiana.  It  is  situated  between  38°  50"  and^'v''  north 
latitude,  and  between  4°  35"  and  7°  47"  west  longitude, 
from  Washington  city.  It  is  216  miles  from  east  to  west 
and  the  same  extent  from  north  to  south ;  and  contains 
about  40,000  square  miles,  or  25,600,000  acres. 

Face  of  the  Country,  Soil  and  Productions.^^Thc  in- 
terior and  northern  parts,  bordering  on  lake  Erie,  are 
generally  level,  in  some  places  marshy.  Nearly  one- 
third  of  the  eastern  and  soutlieastern  parts  of  the  state, 
lying  contiguous  to  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  is  exceeding 
hilly  and  broken.  These  hills,  however,  are  too  humble 
and  free  of  rocks,  to  be  called  mountains ;  but  their  num- 
ber is  r^reat,  and  they  occupy  a  considerable  space.— 
There  are  extensive  tracts  of  bottom  lands  on  the  Ohio, 
Rnd  its  tributary  streams,  of  wonderful  feitility.    On 

f2 


60 


OHIO. 


each  side  of  fhe  Scioto,  and  of  the  two  Miamies,  are 
found  larger  bodies  of  rich,  level  land,  than  in  any  other 
part  of  the  state.  There  are  several  extensive  prairas, 
particularly  on  the  head  waters  of  the  Muskingum,  and 
the  Scioto,  and  between  the  Scioto  and  the  sources  of 
the  two  Miamies ;  on  which  prairas  no  timber  grows, 
except  a  few  clumps  of  trees.  Of  the  prairas,  several 
are  flat  and  marshy,  others  are  dry  and  elevated.  The 
latter  are  frequently  called  barrens^  but  are  not  so  called 
on  account  of  t'leir  sterility,  for  they  are  often  fertile. 
Low  prairas  yield  large  crops  of  coarse,  wild  grass, 
from  two  to  five  feet  in  height ; — of  which  some  kinds 
arc  good  fodder. 

It  is  remarkable  that  the  liighest  lands  between  the 
rivers  are  the  Mctest,  and  the  tracts  bordering  on  the 
water  courses  are  tlie  Jryest.  Among  the  trees  of  the 
forest,  are  oak  of  various  kinds,  maple,  hickory,  beech, 
poplar,  sycamore,  ash,  walnut,  buckeye,  cheiTy,  &c. 
Cultivateil  fruit  trees  of  various  kinds  are  produced. 
VAieat,  and  the  other  small  grains,  and  corn,  flourish  in 
tliis  soil — Of  the  latter,  from  75  to  100  bushels  have 
sometimes  be2n  gathered^  iii  one  year  from  an  acre,  on 
tliis  rich  bottom  land. 

Of  the  rivers  within  this  state  that  flow  into  the  Ohio, 
the  follow"  g  are  the  principal : 

The  Muskingum  rises  within  the  tract  called  tlie  Con- 
necticut Western  Reserve,  and  flows  in  a  serpentine, 
southwesterly  course  across  the  counties  of  Stark,  Tus- 
carawas, Coshocton,  Muskin^  in,  Morgan,  and  Wash- 
ington, into  the  Ohio,  at  Marietta,  thrcugti  a  mouth  250 
yards  wide.  It  is  navigable  with  large  battcaux  to  Cos- 
hocton, above  100  miles  in  its  course,  and  with  small 
crafts  more  than  90  mile^  further,  into  a  small  lake  ; 


OHIO. 


er 


from  whence,  by  a  portage  of  one  mile,  boats  descend  in 
the  river  Cuyahoga,  into  lake  Erie.  At  Zanesville,  navi- 
gation is  materially  obstructed  by  considerable  falls, 
which  form  valuable  mill  seats.  This  impediment  is, 
however,  about  being  removed  by  a  company,  who  arc 
successfully  prosecuting  a  plan  of  a  c?\nal  and  lockj» 
around  the  falls.  To  eftect  this  purpose,  the  company 
have  been  vested  with  banking  powers.  The  main 
branches  to  thio  river,  are  Licking,  White  Woman  and 
Wills"  creeks,  besides  the  principal  stream,  which,  above 
Coshocton,  is  called  Tuscarawas.  Tributaries  of  less 
note  are  Wolf,  Coal,  Olive  Green,  Meigs,  Salt,  Jona- 
thans,  Wakitoniika,  Stillwater,  Sugar,  Connoten,  Nim- 
mishilten,  and  Indian  creeks.  Tlie  Muskingum,  and 
most  of  its  confluent  branches,  are  bordered  by  consi- 
derable margins  of  rich  land,  notwithstanding  a  region 
for  nearly  80  miles  in  width,  through  which  the  river 
flows,  is  hilly. 

The  IlocUiocking  rises  near  Columbus,  and  meander- 
ing in  a  southeastwardly  course,  through  a  hilly  country, 
more  than  80  miles,  unites  with  the  Ohio  at  Troy,25  miles 
below  Marietta.  This  river  is  rarely  exceeded  (for  its 
size)  in  convenience  for  navigation :  being  compressed  to 
the  narrow  compass  of  about  50  yards,  its  waters  are  gen- 
erally of  a  good  depth.  Seven  miles  north  of  Lancaster, 
this  river  exhibits  a  romantic  prospect,  its  waters  precipi- 
tating over  a  stratum  )f  rock,  down  a  perpendicular 
descent,  more  than  40  feet.  On  tlifise  falls  is  a  flour  mill, 
five  stories  higli.  With  the  exception  of  the  lower  falls, 
of  seven  feet  descent,  and  a  few  mill  dams  lately  erected, 
boats  may  ascend  this  river  above  70  miles  Its  branches 
are  Rush  creek,  Sunday,  Monday,  Margaret  and  Frede- 
rick's creeks. 


68 


OHIO. 


i 


The  Scioto  takes  its  rise  from  sources  within  the  late 
Indian  purchase,  and  uniting  with  the  Whetstone,  ju^f 
above  Columbus,  it  joins  the  Ohio,  by  a  mouth  IJO  yar(l> 
wide,  between  Portsmouth  and  Alexandria.  Its  o-enerai 
direction,  from  within  a  few  miles  of  tiie  source,  is  nearly 
south.  The  Whetstone  branch  rises  in  Richland  couii(> , 
and  is  navigable,  in  high  water,  to  Worthington,  nine 
miles.  The  Scioto  is  navi«>;abie  130  miles.  Its  chief 
tributaries  are  Big  Walnut,  Lower  Walnut  and  Salt 
creeks,  from  the  east ;  and  Paint,  Deer,  Darby,  Mill  and 
Bokes  creeks  from  the  west.  On  the  east  bank  of  this 
river,  five  miles  above  Coluuibus,  are  extensive  quarries 
of  free  stone,  and  marble  capable  of  a  high  polish. 

The  Little  Miami  takes  its  rise  from  the  southwest- 
ernly  part  of  Madison  county,  and  coasting,  in  a  soutli- 
west  direction,  more  than  70  miles,  o^er  Clark,  Grcei', 
Warren  and  Hamilton  counties,  commingles  with  the 
Ohio,  seven  miles  above  Cincinnati.  To  this  no  stream 
is  e(|ual,  in  the  state,  for  mill  seats  ;  on  which  are  already 
nearly  40  mills,  of  which  two  are  for  the  manufacture  of 
paper.  Its  cliief  tributary  streams  are  Shawnee,  Obannon, 
Turtle,  Todd's  Fork,  Cesar's  and  Massie's  creeks,  and 
East-Fork  on  the  eastern  side ;  and  Sugar  and  Beaver 
creeks  on  the  west.  It  is  rare  that  boats  attempt  to  ascend 
this  rough  stream,  whos^  impediments  to  navigation  are 
converted  into  so  many  valuable  mill  seats.  About  100 
miles  from  the  mouth  are  falls  on  this  river,  supposed  to 
be  e(|ual  to  200  feet. 

The  main  streams  jlowing  into  the  Bl^  Miami  ivithin 
the  state  of  Ohio : — On  the  west  is  Mad  river,  which 
finds  its  source  in  the  north  part  of  Logan  county,  across 
which  it  leads  a  southwestern  course  through  Cluimpaign ; 
(l>y  Urbana)  parts  of  Gvcen  and  Montgomery  countie5»> 


OHIO, 


69 


and  after  mean'Ierin!:;  more  than  50  miles  in  a  rapid  and 
rippliiij;  current,  falls  into  the  Miami  just  above  Daj- 
to!i.  On  the  Mest  is  Lo7'amie-s  Creek,  rising  in  the 
late  Indian  purchase,  and  running  southwardly  to  Lor- 
amie's  station,  thence  southeastwju'dly  into  the  Miami 
just  above  Piqua.  It  meanders  to  an  extent  exceeding 
SO  miles  and  is  navigable  30  miles  up  with  batteaux. — 
The  Southwest  Branch  or  Stillwater  commences  in  Dark 
county,  and  proceeding  50  miles  southeastward ly,  emp- 
ties nearly  opposite  the  mouth  of  Mad  river,  in  the 
county  of  Montgomery.  There  are  several  other  less 
conmderable  streams  flowing  into  the  Miami,  which  our 
limits  will  not  permit  us  to  notice. 

The  principal  streams  that  jlow  into  hake  Erie  in  the 
state  of  Ohio  ;— Cuyahoga  river  rises  in  the  central 
parts  of  Geauga  county,  whence  it  runs  half  its  length 
into  the  w  estern  parts  of  Portage  county ;  thence  turns 
N.  W.  into  Cuyahoga  county  and  enters  Lake  Erie  at 
Cleavelaud.  It  is  navigable  a  considerable  distance,  and 
is  CO  nviies  long. 

Sandusky  river,  rising  within  Richland  county,  runs 
northwestwardly  about  20  miles,  to  Upper  Sandusky  ; 
thence  northwardly,  50  miles,  into  Sandusky  bay.  The 
stream  is  generally  rapid,  but  navigable  at  a  middle 
height  of  water.  Among  its  bianches  arc  Tycmochtee, 
Honey  and  Wolf  creeks.  It  has  been  Ions  conjectured 
that  the  waters  of  the  Scioto  might  be  connected  with 
the  head  waters  of 'Sandusky  by  a  canal,  there  being  a 
portage  only  of  four  miles. 

The  Maumee  rises  in  the  nortlieast  angle  of  Indiana, 
atjd  flows  northwestwardly  into  the  western  extremity 
of  lake  Erie.  Within  33  miles  of  the  mouth,  cora- 
iiieucus  slwals  and  lupids,  which  are  continued,  to  tl^ 


70 


OHIO. 


obstruction  of  navigation,  to  within  18  miles  of  the  lake. 
The  width  of  the  Maumee  is  from  150  to  200  yards. 
Itft  principal  tributary  streams,  are  the  St.  Joseph  and 
the  St.  Mary's,  wlii«h  unite  to  form  the  Maumee  at  Fort 
Wayne,  the  Great  and  Little  Auglaize,  (the  former  in- 
terlocking with  the  head  waters  of  the  Miami  and  run- 
ing  north)  flow  into  the  Maumee  just  below  Detroit. 

Connecticut  Reserve,  or  New-Connecticut,  is  bounded 
on  the  north  by  lake  Erie,  on  the  east  by  Pennsylvania, 
on  the  south  by  the  parallel  of  41**  north  latitude,  and  on 
the  westby  the  meridian  of  5®  49"  west  longitude.  Its 
extent  is  120  miles  from  east  to  west,  and  about  52iniles 
from  north  to  south.  The  whole  tract  consists  of  three 
millions  of  acres ;  of  which,  on  the  west  end,  500,000 
acres  are  called  Fire  Lands,  having  been  granted  by  thi 
state  of  Connecticut  as  a  donation  to  such  citizens  as 
had  sustained*  losses  by  conflagration,  particularly  by  the 
burning  of  the  towns  of  New-London,  Fairfield  and  Nor- 
walk,  by  the  British  army,  in  the  revolutionary  war. — 
The  first  settlers  on  those  lands  emigrated  from  Massa- 
chusetts and  Connecticut.  The  ground  on  which  the 
government  of  the  latter  state  founded  their  claim,  was 
the  charter  of  Charles  II,  by  which,  in  1662,  wa2  granted 
to  the  then  colony  of  Connecticut,  all  lands  includ  id  be- 
tween the  parallels  of  41°  and  42°,  and  from  Providence 
Plantations  on  the  east  to  the  Pacific  ocean  on  the  west, 
with  the  exception  of  the  colonies  of  New-York  and 
Pennsylvania.  After  the  United  States  became  sove- 
reign. Congress  and  Connecticut  compromised  the  inter- 
fering claims — the  former  having  relinquished  to  the  lat- 
ter their  right  of  soil  to  the  said  tract  of  3,000,000  acres ; 
and  the  latter  to  the  former  all  right  of  soil  to  the  residue, 
as  well  as  clftim  of  juriMUctlun  to  the  whole* 


OHIO. 


71 


Virginia  J^Iilitary  Lands  are  situated  between  the 
Little  Miami  and  the  Scioto.  The  charter  to  that  state 
made  by  the  king  of  England,  included  lands  wcsi  of  the 
Ohio,  between  lines  of  etjual  latitude  to  the  northern  and 
southern  lines  of  Virginia.  The  above  described  lands, 
the  right  of  soil  to  which  she  reserved,  wer'*  granted  to 
her  troops  for  revolutionary  services — Virginia  relin- 
quishing to  the  United  States  all  other  lands  west  of  the 
Ohio,  in  the  same  latitude.  Of  these  lands,  the  middle 
and  northern  parts  are  of  an  excellent  (|uality. 

Symmes^s  Patent  is  situated  north  of  the  Ohio,  between 
the  two  Miamies.  For  tliis  tract  application  was  made 
to  the  general  government  by  John  Cleves  Symmes,of 
the  state  of  New-Jersey,  in  the  year  1787;  but  a  patent 
was  not  obtained  from  the  President  until  1794.  The 
grant  included  311,682  acres,  of  which  63,100  were  re- 
reserved  for  public  uses,  as  follows : — Around  Fort 
Washmgton,  in  Cincinnati,  15  acres;  a  complete  town- 
sliip,  for  a  public  seminary,  to  be  located  so  as  to  embrace 
an  entire  township  nearest  the  mouth  of  Licking  river ; 
section  16  in  each  township,  for  the  use  of  schools;  sec- 
tion 29  for  religious  purposes,  and  sections  8, 1 1  and  26 
for  the  future  disposal  of  Congress.  After  this  deduction 
there  remained  to  the  patentee  a  good  title  for  no  more 
than  248,582  acres,  for  which  he  paid  the  price  of  two- 
tliirds  of  a  dollar  per  acre. 

Within  three  miles  of  Cincinnati,  lands  of  a  good 
quality  sell  from  g50  to  gl50  per  acre ;  and  from  glO  to 
830  between  the  distance  of  three  and  twelve  miles. — 
Near  the  chief  villages  of  the  Miami  country,  the  pric« 
of  land  is  T   -.  SIO  to  g40  per  acre. 


72 

OHIO. 

J\  0.  of  Population  in 

Counties, 

Tuivns.  IHIO  and  1&15. 

Chief  Towns. 

Adams 

9 

9,434 

10,410 

West  Union 

Ashtabula 

3,200 

Jeft'erson 

Athens 

4 

4,271 

3,960 

Atliens 

Belmont 

11 

ll,09r 

12^200 

St.  Clairsville 

Brown 

Ripley 

Butler 

9 

11,150 

11,890 

Hamilton 

Champaign 

9 

6,303 

10,460 

Urbana 

Clark 

Springfield 

Clermont 

8 

9,965 

12,240 

Williamsburgh 

[            Clinton 

3 

2,674 

4,600 

Wilmington 

I           Columbiana 

ir 

10,878 

13,600 

New-Lisbon 

1           Coshocton 

3,000 

Coshocton 

1            Cuyahoga 

4 

1,495 

2,500 

Cleveland 

1             Dark 

1,500 

Greenville 

1             Delaware 

7 

2,000 

5,000 

Fairfield 

1            Fairfield 

15 

4,361 

13,666 

New-Lancaster 

P           Fayette 

4 

1,854 

3,700 

Washington 

1            Franklin 

8 

3,486 

6,800 

Franklincon 

Gallia 

12 

4,181 

6,000 

Galliopilis 

Geauga 

8 

2,917 

3,000 

Chard  in 

Guernsey 

9 

3,051 

4,800 

Cambridge 

Green 

6 

5,870 

8,000 

Xeiria 

Hamilton 

11 

15,258 

18,700 

Cincinnati 

Harrison 

7,300 

Cadiz 

Highland 

7 

5,760 

7,300 

Hillsborough 

1            Huron 

. 

1,500 

Huron 

1           Jackson 

Jackson 

1           Jeflfereun 

15 

17,260 

15,000 

Steubenville 

1           ^"^^ 

5 

181    1 

2,149 

3,000 

MDimtVernMi 

fi.'i  Rid 

TQ<;  fiOR 

OHIO. 


78 


JV*o.  of  Population  in 
Counties,     Towns.  ISIO  and  IS15. 

Bro't.for'wd.181  165,814     193,326 


liicking  7 

Lon;aii 

Madison  6 

Medina 

Miami  6 

Monroe 

Montgomery     7 

Morgan 

Muskingum     1 1 

Perry 

Pickaway        10 

Pike 

Portage  9 

Preble  7 

Richland 

Ross  16 

Scioto  9 

Stark  7 

Tmmbull        19 

Tuscarawas 

Warren  5 

Washington    12 

Wayne 


3,852 

1,603 

3,941 

7,722 

10,036 

7,124 

2,995 
3,304 

15,514 
3,399 
2,734 
8,671 
3,045 
9,925 
5,991 


6,400 

2,100 

5,910 

1,200 

13,700 

11,200 

9,260 

6,000 
5,509 
3,900 

18,000 
3,870 
6,625 

10,000 
3,880 

12,000 
3,800 
7,100 


Chief  Towns. 

Newark 

Belville 

New-London 

Mecca 

Troy 

Woodsfield 

Dayton 

Zanesville 

Somerset 

Circleville 

Piketon 

Ravenna 

Eaton 

Mansfield 

Chillicotlie 

Portsmouth 

Canton 

Warren 

New-Philadelphia 

Lebanon 

Marietta 

Wooster  , 


320  230,760     324,070 


The  data  for  ascertaining  the  increase  of  population 
fpr  the  five  first  years  after  the  census  of  1810,  which 
was  230,760,  has  been  obtained  from  the  number  of 
qualified  voters  in  the  state,  which  amounted,  in  1815, 
to  64,814,  by  multiplying  that  sum  by  5,  it  being  suppo* 

G 


74 


OHIO. 


sed  tliat  the  number  of  voters  composed  the  one-fifth 
part  of  the  whole  population.  This  mode  of  estimating 
the  increase,  shows  the  population,  in  1815,  to  be  324,070. 
After  the  Bame  mode  of  calculating,  1819,  tlie  present 
year,  would  exhibit  a  population  of  about  410,000.  It 
is  however  believed,  that  the  next  census  will  show  the 
actual  population  to  have  been  considerably  under  rated. 
Such  an  accumulation  of  human  beings,  within  the 
short  period  of  thirty-one  years,  congregated  in  a  per- 
fectly wilderness  territory,  without  any  motives  created 
from  public  or  private  bounty,  other  than  the  resources 
of  a  country  in  a  rude  state  of  nature,  is  not  perhaps  to 
be  found  in  the  history  of  man,  unless  we  except  some 
other  states  in  the  west. 

PWIXCIPAL  TOWNS. 

The  design  of  our  publication  will  not  permit  us  to  in- 
dulge our  readers  with  a  particular  description  of  all  the 
numerous  flourishing  towns  within  the  stat^.  In  a  gene- 
ral view  we  have  exhibited  the  names  of  the  several 
towns,  which  are  the  seats  of  justice  for  the  respective 
counties  to  which  they  are  attached.  We  shall  now 
proceed  to  present  a  particular  view  of  those  towns  only 
uhich  are  most  considerable  for  population,  commerce 
and  manufactures. 

Columbus,  tlie  capital  of  the  state  of  Ohio,  is  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Scioto  river,  Franklin  county,  within  20 
miles  of  the  centre  of  the  state.  The  site  is  on  a  beau- 
tiful rise  of  ground,  just  below  the  confluence  of  the 
Whetstone  and  Scioto.  The  in-lots  62|  by  87^  feet 
each,  were  sold  at  public  auction  in  June,  11812-— being 
then  covered  with  the  first  growth  of  forest  trees  ;  since 
Tirhich  period  have  been  erected  nearly  SOO  houses,  which 
•re  occupied  bj  more  than  1500  inhabitant!.    Four  or 


OHIO. 


75 


five  English  schools,  besides  a  respectable  seminary  for 
young  ladies,  are  established.  A  post  office,  10  mercantile 
stores,  a  bank,  two  printing  offices,  and  a  market  house, 
are  occupied.  There  is  a  state  house,  a  building  for  the 
public  offices,  and  a  penitentiary,  all  of  brick.  The 
state  house  is  constructed  on  an  elegant  model,  and  fin* 
ished  in  a  handsome  style.  It  occupies  a  space  of  50 
bv  75  feet  upon  the  ground,  and  is  elevated  two  lofty 
stories  high,  fronting  the  west.  On  the  centre  of  the 
roof  is  erected  a  neat  belfry,  terminating  in  an  elegant 
spire,  which  rises  106  feet  from  the  ground.  Adjoining 
the  balcony  are  handsome  railed  walks,  commanding  a 
complete  prospect  of  the  town  and  adjacent  country, 
which  affi)rds  a  delightful  rural  scenery.  The  public 
offices  are  built  on  a  line  with  the  state  house,  on  tlie 
north,  occupying  on  the  ground,  a  space  of  120  by  QS  feet, 
and  are  constructed  two  stories  high ;  on  the  west  side 
of  the  public  square,  which  is  located  in  the  centre  of 
the  town,  being  an  area  of  ten  acres,  reserved  for  public 
iii»e.  The  penitentiary  stands  at  the  southwest  corner 
of  tlie  town,  (being  inclosed  by  a  high  stone  wall)  and 
uas  prepared  for  convicts  in  1815,  Columbus  is  60 
miles  west  of  Zanesville,  114  northwest  of  Marietta,  28 
from  liancatiter,  45  north  of  Chillicothe,  90  north  of 
Portsmouth,  and  115  northeastwardly  from  Cincinnati, 
and  is  in  north  latitude  39°  57'  and  west  longitude  6°. 

Chillicothe  is  pleasantly  situated  on  the  west  bank  of 
the  Scioto,  45  miles  by  land  and  70  by  water,  from  the 
mouth.  It  is  surrounded  by  a  fertile  plain,  containing 
about  10,000  acres.  The  settlement  of  this  town  com- 
menced in  1796  ;  it  now  contains  nearly  400  houses, 
and  3,000  inhabitants.  There  are  three  printing  offices, 
by  each  of  which  a  weekly  newspaper  is  published,  two 


76 


OHIO. 


banks,  50  mercantile  stores,  one  book  and  one  apotheca- 
ry store,  four  cotton  spinning  factories,  one  driven  bjr 
water  ^nd  the  others  by  horse  power,  a  rope  walk  and  a 
large  steam  mill.  In  the  vicinity  are  an  oil,  fullinj^,  pa- 
per, and  se.sral  saw,  and  excellent  merchant  flour  mills. 
The  public  buildings  consist  of  Presbyterian,  Seceder, 
and  Methodist  meeting  houses,  an  academy,  court  house, 
jail,  and  a  large  market  house,  all  of  which  (except  a 
stone  court  house)  are  built  with  brick.  The  streets  cross 
each  other  at  right  angles.  The  summit  of  a  hill  on  the 
west,  of  an  abrupt  ascent  to  the  perpendicular  height  of 
300  feet,  presents  a  most  delightful  view  of  the  town, 
river  and  surrounding  country.  This  town  is  distant 
45  miles  south  from  Columbus,  34  southwest  from  New- 
Lancaster,  TO  from  Zanesville,  73  n(»'  M\east  from  Mays- 
ville,  and  93  east  by  north  from  Cincumati. 

Steubenville,  the  seat  of  justice  for  Jefferson  county, 
stands  on  the  bank  of  the  Ohio.  The  streets  intersect 
each  other  at  right  angles.  The  town  was  commenced  in 
1798 — is  surrounded  by  a  fertile  tract  of  land,  laying 
on  both  sides  of  the  Ohio  river — in  1810  contained  only 
800,  but  at  present,  (1819)  more  than  2,200  inhabitants; 
bas  nearly  500  houses,  three  churches,  an  elegant  market 
house,  with  a  town  house  in  the  second  story  ;  a  woolen 
factory,  a  grist  mill,  paper  mill,  and  cotton  lactory,  all 
driven  by  steam  power.  There  are  a  printing  office, 
issuing  a  weekly  newspaper,  two  banks,  an  academy, 
27  stores,  16  public  inns,  and  an  air  foundery.  Distant 
38  miles  southwest  from  Pittsburgh,  25  northeasterly 
from  St.Clairsville,and  150  east  by  north  from  Columbus. 

Zanesville  is  on  the  east  branch  of  the  Muskingum, 
at  the  falls,  whereon  various  mills  are  erected,  and  others 
are  in  preparation  to  be  established ;  including  several 


OHIO-. 


77 


valuable  saw  mills,  an  oil  mill,  nail  machine,  and  woolen 
factory.  This  town  is  the  scat  of  justice  for  Muskin- 
^Miin  county,  and  contains  a  neat  court  house,  in  which 
are  conveniint  apartments  for  the  public  offices  ;  21 
mercantile  stores,  two  glass  factories,  two  printing  offi- 
ces, and  530  houses,  many  of  which  arc  in  a  neat,  elegant 
style.  The  |)opulation  is  about  1500.  Two  substantial 
bridges  are  extended  over  the  river  opposite  the  town, 
the  lowest  of  which  is  a  handsome  specimen  of  architec- 
ture, connecting  Zanesville  with  Putnam.  The  facili- 
ties for  promoting  manufactories  by  water  machinery, 
at  Zanesville,  are  very  great.  This  town  is  18  miles 
from  Wheeling,  61  from  Marietta,  72  from  Chillicothe, 
and  58  from  Columbus. 

Futnam,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Muskingum,  oppo- 
site to  Zanesville,  contains  several  neat  brick  dwelling 
houses,  a  convenient  stone  building  for  an  academy, 
several  mercantile  stores,  mechanic  shops  and  mills.-^ 
The  number  of  inhabitants  is  about  400. 

Marietta,  the  seat  of  justice  for  Washington  county, 
is  one  of  the  first  settled  towns  in  the  state.  It  occupies 
a  cliarming  site  on  the  bank  of  the  Ohio,  just  above  the 
mouth  of  the  Muskingum ;  contains  a  large,  elegant 
Presbyterian  meeting  house,  an  academy,  the  public 
county  buildings,  a  printing  ofllice,  a  bank,  about  20  mer- 
cantile stores  and  90  dwelling  houses.  For  seven  years 
prior  to  the  embargo,  ship  building  here  was  prosecuted 
to  a  considerable  extent. — But  the  commercial  embarras- 
ments  which  immediately  succeeded,  in  a  manner  ex- 
tinguished the  mercantile  enterprise  of  those  New-Eng- 
land emigrants  for  a  long  period.  Of  late,  however,  the 
spirit  of  ship  building  begins  to  revive.  In  1816,  a  com- 
mercial exporting  company  was  formed,  who  sent  round 


78 


OHIO. 


to  Boston  a  small  ves)*el.  The  overflowing  of  tlie  river, 
>vhich  occasionally  happens  in  liigh  water,  to  tliis  town, 
has  sensibly  affected  its  prosperity  and  checked  its 
growth.  The  uistributing  post-office  is  kept  here.  The 
distance  from  Washington  city  is  SlG  miles  west  by 
north,  93  east  by  north  from  Chillicothe,  from  Cincinnati 
186,  and  southwesterly  from  Columbus  109  miles. 

mYeW'Lisbon,  the  seat  of  justice  for  Columbiana  coun- 
ty, is  situated  on  the  middle  fork  of  Little  Beaver,  14 
miles  from  the  nearest  point  on  the  Ohio.  It  contains 
a  handsome  court  house  and  jail,  a  bank,  two  brick  meet- 
ing houses,  post  office,  a  printing  office,  and  a  public  libra- 
ry. In  1805,  were  only  seven  dwelling  houses,  in  Jaw. 
1817,  were  ISO,  of  which  six  are  licenced  public  houses, 
and  9  mercantile  stores,  employing  a  capital  of  65,000 
dollars.  In  the  vicinity  is  a  furnace,  four  merchant  and 
four  saw  mills,  a  paper  mill,  an  extensive  woolen  factory, 
and  another  erecting,  a  fulling  mill,  and  carding  machine  ; 
a  glass  factory,  an  academy,  and  a  third  meeting  house, 
are  among  the  contemplated  improvements  about  to  be 
prosecuted  in  tliis  flourishing  town. 

St.  Clairsville,  the  seat  of  justice  for  Belniont  county, 
stands  on  elevated  ground — the  surrounding  country 
hilly,  but  fertile.  Within  the  town  is  a  court  house, 
jail,  and  market  house ;  the  Friends,  Methodists  and 
Presbyterians  have  each  a  meeting  house ;  there  is  also 
a  printing  office,  a  bank,  15  stores,  and  about  700  inha- 
bitants. Through  this  town  the  great  road  leads  west- 
wardly  from  Wheeling,  which  is  1 1  miles  distant. 

Oalliopolis  is  pleasantly  situated  on  th«  bank  of  the 
Ohio,  in  Gallia  county,  of  which  it  is  the  seat  of  justice. 
The  public  buildings  are  a  court  house,  jail,  and  an  aca- 
dtttuy.    It  has  7Sl  dwelling  houses,  and  8  stores.    Near 


OHIO. 


79 


the  town  are  grape  vineyards,  to  the  extent  of  six  acres, 
from  which  considerable  quantities  of  wine  are  made 
yearly.  This  town  was  first  settled  by  French  emis;rants, 
many  of  whom,  before  they  became  inured  to  the  climate, 
were  grievously  afflicted  by  the  summer  fevers,  which 
proved  mortal  to  many  of  the  inhabitants ;  and  others 
removing  from  discouragement,  left  remaining  but  a 
small  portion  of  the  French  population. 

CirchvUUt  situated  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Scioto,  is 
the  seat  of  justice  for  Pickaway  county.  It  was  laid  off 
in  1810,  in  one  of  the  ancient  circular  fo'tiiications, 
from  which  circumstance  it  was  named.  The  town  plat 
encompasses  two  old  forts — one  square,  and  the  other 
circular.  The  round  fort  consists  of  two  circular,  but 
parallel  walls,  about  50  feet  apart.  There  was  but  one 
passage  into  the  circular  fort,  which  was  in  the  east  side, 
from  the  square  one ;  the  latter  joining  upon  the  outer 
circle,  had  seven  avenues,  beside  that  which  leads  into 
the  circle,  being  open  about  12  feet  wide  at  each  of  the 
four  angles  and  in  the  centre  of  each  side  :  the  perpen- 
dicular height  of  each  wall  exceeded  20  feet.  The  town 
contains  9  mercantile  stores,  and  various  mechanic  shops. 
The  surrounding  country,  to  a  considerable  extent,  in- 
cludes the  rich  Pickaway  plains. 

JW'W-Lancaster,  the  county  seat  for  Fairfield,  is  a  ftou- 
risiiing  town,  situated  near  the  source  of  the  Hockhock- 
ing,  on  the  road  from  Zanesville  to  Chillicothe,  and  28 
miles  from  Columbus.  Within  the  town  are  12  mercan- 
tile stores,  a  handsome  court  house  and  jail,  a  Methodist 
meeting  house,  a  bank,  an  English  and  a  German  print- 
ing oftice,  issuing  weekly  papers,  and  a  market  house ; 
there  are  about  150  houses,  with  a  population  of  nearly 
700  inhabitants. 


\ ■— 


tmmrm 


80 


OHIO. 


Urbana^  tlie  county  seat  fo:  Cliampaign,  is  situated  on 
the  waters  of  Mad  river.  It  contains  a  printing  office, 
court  house,  jail,  bank,  Methcdist  meeting  house,?  mer- 
cantile stores,  120  houses  and  600  inhabitants.  Dist^^nt 
44  miles  west  by  north  from  Columbus. 

Xenia,  the  county  seat  of  Green,  situated  on  Shawnee 
creek,  three  miles  east  from  the  Little  Miami,  contains  a 
court  house,  jail,  an  academy,  two  houses  for  public 
worship,  a  printing  office,  11  stores,  and  about  GOO  inha- 
bitants. Distant  54  n»iles  southwcstwardly  from  Colum- 
bus. 

Dftiftnn,i\\e  seat  of  justice  for  Montgomery  county,  is 
deliglitfidly  situated  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Great 
Miami,  just  below  its  confluence  with  Mad  riv^er.  It 
contains  a  court  house,  jail,  an  academy,  a  Presbyterian 
and  a  Methodist  meeting  house,  a  printing  office,  bank, 
15  mercantile  stores,  3  apothecary  shops,  and  more  than 
100  dwelling  houses.  In  the  vicinity  several  valuable 
mill  seats  are  artificially  formed,  by  a  canal  excavated 
around  the  town,  so  as  to  conduct  the  water  from  Mad 
river  into  the  Miami  below  it.  This  town  is  in  the  cen- 
tre of  a  large  bo«'y  of  good  land. 

Lebaroti,  the  scat  of  justice  for  Warren  county,  is  four 
miles  west  of  the  Little  Miami,  between  two  branches  of 
Turtle  creek.  It  contains  a  court  house,  school  house, 
a  Baptist  and  a  Methodist  meeting  house,  all  built  with 
brick,  and  a  stone  jail.  There  are  two  market  houses, 
a  bank,  a  printing  office,  and  a  good  social  library.  The 
adjacent  country  is  excellent  land. 

Cincinnati  is  situated  in  the  county  of  Hamilton,  21 
miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Miami,  li?-2  above 
Louisville,  4G5  below  Pittsburgh  by  water,  and  300  by 
land,  85  north  of  Lexington,  93  west  by  south  from  Chil- 


^ 


oino. 


81 


licothe,  115  southwest  from  Columbus,  in  39°  0'  north 
latitude,  and  7°  24'  west  longitude.  The  populatiim  in 
IHIO  was  2,540;  in  1815,  6,500;  and  in  August,  18H> 
was  ascertained  by  artual  enumeration  to  cc^ntain  5,302 
males  and  4,467  females,  being  9,829  white  inhabitants, 
beside  205  males  and  191  females  of  color — in  the  whole 
10,225  inhabitants.  The  number  of  dwelling;  houses  in 
1815  was  650,  and  the  whole  number  of  bitildings  1,070. 
lu  August,  1819,  the  buildings  of  all  descriptions,  brick, 
stone  and  wood,  from  one  lo  four  stories  high,  exceeded 
2,000.  This  town  was  laid  out  nearly  accorMng  to  the 
plan  of  the  city  of  Philadelpiiia.  The  situation  is  esteem- 
ed one  of  the  most  pleasant  on  the  Ohio.  The  upper 
part  of  the  town,  which  embraces  nearly  two-thirds  of 
the  houses,  is  elevated  about  50  feet  higher  than  the  bot- 
tom, next  the  river ;  has  an  extensive  area  (much  of  which 
ig  unoccupied)  and  commands  a  romantic  view  of  the 
high  lands  which  surround  the  town.  Cincinnati  con- 
tains an  elegant  court  liouse,  of  brick,  62  by  56  feet  on 
tlie  ground,  with  two  lofty  stories  ;  3  spacious  brick  mar- 
ket houses ;  4  banks,  including  a  braiich  of  the  U.  S.bank ; 
a  Lancastrian  Seminary,  for  the  accommodation  of  which 
is  erected  a  handsome  edifice,  consisting  of  two  oblong 
uings,  80  feet  deep,  connected  in  the  form  of  an  H  by  a 
building  SV,  by  50  feet,  which  contains  the  stair  cases 
h'ading  to  the  second  story— calculated  to  accommodate 
1,100  scholars;  a  public  library  of  1,400  volumes;  12 
places  for  public  worship,  2  Presbyterian,  3  Methodist, 
1  Baptist,  1  R|)iscopal,  1  Friends,  1  German  Lutheran, 
1  Roman  Catholic,  1  New-Jerusalem,  and  1  for  people  of 
color ;  4  printing  offices,  two  of  which  issue  a  newspaper 
weekly,  and  one  semi-weekly ;  a  steam  saw  mill  j  a  steam 
grist  mill,  85  by  62  feet,  of  9  t;tories,  UO  feet  high;  a 


82 


OHIO. 


woolen  manufactory,  a  glass  house,  a  suj;ar  refinerj,  t\^(» 
hreweries,  two  founderies,  a  private  and  a  public  museum, 
called  the  "  Western  Museum,"  the  latter  designed  more 
specially  as  a  depository  for  the  various  specimens  of 
natural  curiosilies  peculiar  to  the  western  country.  The 
funds  of  the  Lancastrian  Seminary  have  lately  been  in- 
creased by  a  subscription  of  g30,0()(),  which  by  an  act  of 
the  legislature  is  erected  into  a  University,  where  all  the 
branches  of  education,  as  in  other  like  institutions,  are 
taught.  Cincinnati,  which  continues  to  flourish,  is  the 
most  populous  and  commercial  town,  excepting  New- 
Orleans,  west  of  the  Allegany  mountains.  In  every  spe- 
cies of  manufacturing,  i;^  is  exceeded  only  by  Pittsburgh. 
There  is  perhaps  no  town  in  the  world  where  the  build- 
ing of  steam  boats  is  conducted  on  so  large  a  scale  ;— 
there  having  been  completed  here,  both  in  wood  v/ork 
and  iron  machinery,  fifteen  steam  boats  within  twenty 
months,  of  which  some  exceeded  400  tons  burden.  The 
adjacent  country,  which  chiefly  supplies  tlie  markets  of 
Cincinnati,  lies  between  the  two  Miamies;  and  \u  point 
of  health,  good  water,  natural  ferfiliiy  of  soil,  and  mild- 
ness of  climate,  combines  as  juany  means  of  chc.ijj  'ind 
good  living,  as,  perhaps,  any  consideraiile  tract  in  Morth 
America. 

For  the  gratification  oF  our  curious  readers,  we  sul>- 
join  the  local  positions  of  some  <»f  the  principal  forts  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  i»(ate,  as  they  became  objects  of 
en(|uiry,  in  remarks  on  military  opera! ions. 

Fort  iJpJiancp,  an  important  militaiy  post,  formeil 
kit  the  junction  of  the  Auu;lai/,e  and  Maumee  rivers,  dis- 
tant 50  miles  southwent  from  Fort  Meigs. 

Fort  /^oraiaif.s,  derives  its  name  from  the  old  station 
of  a  man  so  called  ;  is  on  the  hoad  waters  of  tlic  Great 


OHIO. 


83 


Miami,  and  one  boundary  point  referred  to  in  tl;e  Green- 
ville  treaty. 

Fort  Mei^'ft,  erected  in  1813,  on  (he  southeastern 
bank  of  the  Maumee,  a  lew  miles  from  the  mouth,  at  the 
lower  ranids  of  the  river,  distant  southerly  from  Detroit, 
70  miles.  This  fort  sustained  a  sieaje  ajajainst  the  British 
and  Indians,  in  April,  1813,  until  5th  May  following, 
when  the  garrison,  joined  by  a  reinforcement  from  Ken- 
tucky, made  a  valiant  sortie,  and  driving  tlie  enemy  be- 
fore them,  raised  the  siege.  On  this  occasion  Major 
Aiuos  Strddard,  an  enlighted,  scientific  man.  lost  Wn 
Ufe. 

Fort  Ilfcovfry,  a  fort  established  by  General  Wayne, 
notorious  for  the  disastrous  defeat  by  the  Indians,  of 
the  Western  Army,  under  the  comman<l  of  General 
St.  Cl<  i  in  the  year  1791,  is  situated  i23  miles  north- 
wardly o.  Fort  Loramies,  on  the  boundary  line  of  the 
state  of  Ohio. 

Fort  GrVPenvUU,  erected  in  the  early  settl<»ment  of  the 
country,  is  within  the  limits  of  Dark  county,  a  few  miles 
east  of  the  western  boundary  of  the  state.  There  was 
conrludeil  in  1795,  the  celebrated  Indian  treaty  with 
General  Wayne,  after  his  victory  over  the  natives.— 
This  spot  and  occasion  is  memorable  for  the  peace  and 
security  the  treaty  obtained  for  extensive  frontier  settle- 
ments, whom  the  hostilities  of  the  savages  ha<l  for  voars 
before  compelled  to  remain  in  forts,  and  to  arm  them- 
selves with  weapons  as  they  labored  in  the  fields,  or  tra- 
velled in  the  woods.  It  is  lielieved  that  neither  of  tlie 
above  fortes  are  now  occupied  by  garrisons. 

Boundary  Line,  an  appellation  given  to  the  southern 
boundary  of  territory  acquired  from  the  Indiano  by  the 
treaty  of  Greenville,  in  1 795.    It  commences  at  the  most 


M 


OHIO. 


northern  point  in  the  county  of  Tuscarawas,  on  the  river 
of  that  name  ;  thence  runs  a  west  by  south  course  above 
150  miles,  to  Fort  Loramies,  and  from  thence  in  a  nortli- 
westwanlly  course  '21  miles  to  Fort  Recovery. 

.^  Purchasp  from  the  Indians,  of  lands  in  the  north- 
west part  of  the  state,  amountin^^  to  4,000,000  acres,  was 
made  in  1818.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  Mau- 
mee  and  lake  Erie,  by  Indiana  and  the  St.  Mary  on  the 
wes1,aiid  on  the  east  and  south  by  Gen.  Wayne's  boun- 
dary line,  Up])er  Sandusky  and  Dark  county.  This  tract 
is  part  rolling  and  part  level,  and  in  some  places  marshy. 
On  tile  St.  Mary  the  lands  are  delijrhtfully  situated.  A 
considerable  portion  of  the  whole  is  heavily  timbered,  of 
which  the  growth  is  sugar  maple,  black  and  white  walnut, 
various  species  of  oak,  black  ami  white  mulberry,  beech, 
buckeye,  box  elder,  elm,  sassafras,  crab  apple,  pawpaw, 
lynn,  sycamore,  cotton  wood,  and  some  other  kinds  ;— 
there  are  also  divers  species  of  wild  plumbs  and  grapes. 
The  territory  is  generally  supplied  with  good  water,  and 
streams  convenient  for  mill  seats ;  several  streams  flow 
through  the  country  into  lake  Erie.  The  most  part  of 
the  soil  is  deep  and  strong,  and  well  adapted  for  grazing 
and  meadow  grounds.  In  several  parts  fertile  prairas 
and  woods  are  conveniently  intermixed.  By  men  well 
actjuainted  with  the  geography  of  the  western  country, 
the  above  described  tract  is  esteemed  as  valuable,  either 
for  cultivation  or  commerce,  as  any  portion  of  tlnj  same 
extent  in  the  state. 

Agricultural  2?rofiMcf/ons.— Indian  corn,  wheat,  rye, 
oats  and  barley  are  the  principal.  '^*^*»  first  grows  best 
in  rich  calcareous  soils,  which  have  sometimes  produced 
IIG  bushels  per  acre;  but  4.1  may  be  considered  a  fair 
average  fur  all  parts  of  the  state.    Wheat,  of  which  about 


OHIO. 


85 


22  bushels  per  acre  may  be  consitlcrcd  an  areragc  crop, 
is  found  to  flourish  generally.  More  than  40  bushels 
have  occasionally  been  gathered  from  an  acre.  The 
following  may  be  considered  medium  crops  per  acre : 
rye  25,  oats  35,  and  barley  30. 

Of  the  Fruit  Trees,  most  kinds  grow  luxuriantly. 
Apples,  pears,  peaches,  cherries  and  plumbs  are  common, 
and  of  a  good  quality.  But  vernal  frosts  have  often 
blasted  the  fruit.  An  experiment  has  not  been  made  on 
the  wine  grape  in  this  state^  on  a  large  scale,  except  at 
Galliopolis,  where  the  vine  from  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope 
lias  succeeded  well.  The  wine,  however,  is  much  in- 
ferior to  that  made  at  the  Cape  from  the  same  species. 

Culinary  Vegetables  are  raised  in  great  perfection,  and 
in  most  places  require  no  manure  tc  produce  good  crops. 
The  soil  is  generally  well  adapted  to  the  tobacco  plant, 
which,  however,  as  in  all  the  western  states,  where  sla- 
very is  not  permitted,  is  but  little  cultivated.  Consid- 
erable quantities  of  cotton  have,  in  favorable  season^ 
formerly  been  raised  in  some  parts  ;  but  tlie  late  vernal 
and  early  autumnal  frosts  render  the  crops  too  precari- 
ous to  be  an  object  of  cultivation. 

Of  the  Herbaceous  Indigenous  productions,  trees,  and 
sjhrubber»es,ofnatural  growth,  divers  species  may  be  col* 
lected  from  the  forests,  which  are  useful  in  medicine  and 
the  arts ;  such  as  the  ^ctea  racemosat  or  squaw  root, 
Virginia  snake  root,  Indian  turnip,  wild  iiops,  red  cedar, 
Spanish  oak,  sassafras,  spice  wooti,  gensang,  prickly  ash, 
columbo,  lobelia,  and  oUier  various  kinds  of  herbaceous 
plants. 

Trade  and  Manufactures, — Besides  domestic  manu- 
factures, considerable  quantities  of  cotton  yarn,  cotton 
and  wouleu  cloths  are  made  at  the  lai^  factories,  in 

H 


iplilllfl 


86 


OHIO. 


some  of  the  commercial  towns.  Horses,  cattle,  swine, 
whiskey,  and  flour  are  the  principal  articles  of  exporta- 
tion. By  estimation,  nearly  50,000  swine  were  driven 
from  this  state  over  the  AUeganies  to  market,  in  the 
autumn  of  1810  ;  and  during  the  late  war,  the  army  was 
largely  supplied  froiii  Ohio,  at  Detroit,  and  other  mili- 
tary posts,  on  the  lakes.  The  total  amount  of  real  pro- 
perty in  this  state,  as  revised  by  the  principal  board  of  as- 
sessors, in  1815,  was  valued  at  861,347,216. 

Literary  Institutions  and  Common  Schools. — Ohio 
enjoys,  in  common  with  the  states  of  the  west,  the  bounty 
of  the  general  government,  |)roviding  permanent  funds 
for  literary  institutions  and  common  schools.  Three 
townships,  six  miles  square,  have  been  granted  out  of  the 
public  lands,  in  this  state,  for  seminaries  of  learning ;  and 
for  the  use  of  common  schools,  one  mile  square,  near  the 
centre  of  each  township,  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  same; 
tliat  is,  the  one  thirty-sixth  part  of  the  whole.  Of  the 
three  townships,  two  have  been  appropriated  by  the  legis- 
lature of  the  state  to  the  use  of  what  is  denominated  the 
Ohio  University,  to  which  they  have  granted  a  charter, 
conferring  the  powers  and  privileges  usually  appurtenant 
to  such  institutions.  The  seat  of  this  institution  is  loca- 
ted at  Athens,  in  the  county  of  Athens,  on  the  tract  ap- 
pn)priated  for  its  use.  A  spacious  edifice  of  brick  is 
erecting,  on  an  elevated  spot,  being  a  peninsula,  formed 
by  a  large  bend  of  the  llockhocking,  commanding  a  ro- 
mantic view  of  the  meandcrings  of  the  river  and  the  sur- 
rounding country.  The  town  is  located  in  the  northeast 
of  the  public  grant,  which  is  6  by  12  miles  in  extent. 
It  is  a  healthy  and  pleasant  situation,  containing  about 
50  houses,  including  a  court  house  and  othtr  county  buil- 
dings.   As  yet,  only  an  academic  school,  kept  in  a  small 


mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm 


OHIO. 


87 


two  story  brick  building,  has  been  established,  wliich  is 
intended,  eventually,  as  a  place  of  previous  education 
for  the  University.  The  neat  annual  revenue  proceed- 
ing from  the  college  fuiKls,  at  present,  is  about  83,300.— 
Two  other  Universities,  the  Miami,  and  Cincinnati,  have 
l)ecii  also  incorporated  by  the  legislature.  To  the  for- 
mer is  appropriated  the  funds  arising  from  Oxford  town- 
>hip,  in  Butler  county,  being  the  remaining  part  of  the 
donation  by  Congress,  for  the  use  of  public  seminaries  in 
this  state.  This  township,  which  lays  on  the  western 
boundary  of  the  state,  near  the  southwest  angle,  is  cover- 
ed with  a  rich,  productive  soil ;  of  which,  the  greater  part 
is  leased  for  99  years.  The  neat  annual  income  is  said 
to  exceed  S3,500.  The  trustees  have  erected  one  wing 
of  a  building,  which,  when  completed,  will  make  a  spa- 
cious, convenient  edifice.  The  learned  languages,  and 
the  several  branches  of  academical  education,  are  here 
taught ;  but  the  accomodations  are  yet  inadequate  to 
assume  the  dignity  and  administer  the  instruction  ot  an 
University  institution.  The  funds  which  endov.'  Ci^icin- 
nali  University,  consist  wholly  of  private  donaiiofis,  for 
wliich  see  Cincinnati. 


KENTUCKY 


Is  bounded  north  by  the  river  Ohiov  whicli  separates 
it  from  the  states  of  Ohio,  Indiana  and  Illinois ;  east  by 
Virginia ;  south  by  Virginia  and  Tennessee,  and  on  the 
west  by  the  Mississippi.  This  state  is  situated  between 
36°  30'  and  39"  10'  north  latitude,  and  between  8°  and 
15°  west  longitude;  in  length  300  miles,  and  from  40 
to  180  broad,  containing  42,000  square  miles. 

8oilf  face  of  the  country^  Sfc, — The  soil  is  various, 
both  in  quality  and  appearance.  It  is  generally  strong 
and  durable.  Tliere  are,  however,  considerable  tracts 
occupied  by  dry,  rocky  mountains,  and  sterile  harrens. 
Much  of  the  country  embracing  the  head  waters  of  the 
Great  Sandy,  Kentucky  and  Cumberland  rivers,  is  too 
rough  and  mountainous  for  cultivation.  The  soil  gene- 
rally is  either  red,  tinged  with  black,  or  of  an  ash  color. 
Contiguous  to  the  Ohio,  fur  the  space  of  about  20  miles 
wide,  a  large  portion  of  the  country  is  broken,  but  the 
soil  produces  good  tobacco  and  wheat,  except  where  the 
hills  are  so  steep  as  to  be  mucli  washed  by  rains.  On 
tlie  margin  of  the  Ohio  are  many  rich  bottoms,  which 
though  partly  inundated  by  the  spring  freshets,  produce 
exceeding  large  crops  of  Indian  corn,  hemp  and  tobacco. 
Wheat  does  not  succeed  well  on  the  low  bottoms,  the 
fertility  of  inundated  bottoms  being  generally  too  pow- 
erful for  that  crop,  unless  intermixed  with  a  considerable 
portion  of  sand. 


KENTUCKY. 


89 


Tlie  most  valuable  tract  of  great  extent,  in  Kentucky, 
lays  between  the  hill  country  on  the  Ohio,  Green  river 
anil  tile  eastern  counties,being  about  150  miles  long,  from 
50  to  100  broad,  and  includes  the  counties  of  Mason, 
Fleming,  Montgomery,  Clark,  Bourbon,  Fayette,  Scott, 
Harrison,  Franklin,  Wooilford,  Mercer,  Jessamine,  Ma- 
disoti,  Garrard,  Logan,  Casey,  Lincoln,  Washington  and 
Green— intersected  by  Little  Sandy,  Licking,  Kentucky 
and  Salt  rivers.  The  soil  >(  most  of  this  large  space  is 
of  an  excellent  quality,  and  the  surface  is  free  of  cold, 
wet,  flat  lands,  or  pestilential  marshes ;  and  is  gently 
waving,  presenting  to  the  eye  of  the  spectator  delight- 
some prospects. 

The  growth  of  forest  trees  is  not  commonly  large,  but 
they  are  straight  and  tall,  not  exceeding  more  than  from 
j20  to  30  to  the  acre.  Within  three  or  four  miies  of  some 
of  the  principal  streams  the  soil  is  hard  and  sterile,  and 
not  well  watered.  The  hills  are  shaded  with  oak,  ches* 
nut,  hickory,  gum,  elm  and  poplar ;  and  the  valleys  with 
beech,  sugar  maple,  elm,  poplar,  black  walnut  and  hack- 
berry.  Many  trees  on  the  low  vallies  are  of  an  extra- 
ordinary size,  particularly  the  sycamore  and  poplar. 

Between  the  Rollin's  fork  of  Salt  and  Green  rivers  is 
a  region  about  forty  miles  square,  mostly  cultivated,  and 
covered  by  a  soil  suitable  for  tillage,  meadow  ground  and 
pasturage,  well  apportioned  for  the  purposes  of  agricul- 
ture. Of  like  surface  and  quality  of  soil  are  the  lands 
bordering  on  the  waters  of  the  Great  and  Little  Barren 
rivers ;  where  oak,  chesnut,  hickory,  gum,  lynn,  poplar 
and  cucumber  prevail. 

Knobs,  covered  with  oak,  are  scattered  rather  profusely 
over  the  counties  of  Pulaski,  Wayne,  Rock  Castle,  Knox, 
Cumberland,  Warren,  Livingston  and  Christian.    Of  this 

h2 


90 


KENTUCKY. 


tract,  tlic  legislature  in  1800,  made  a  grant  of  400  acres 
to  each  actual  settler,  the  land  being  then  considered  of 
little  viluc.  Experience  has  notwithstanding  shown  tlie 
soil  very  productive  in  grain,  and  the  situation  advanta- 
geous for  raising  stock. 

The  lands  in  tlie  southwest  part  of  the  si&te,  east  and 
nortli  of  Cumberland  river,  watered  by  Green  and  Barren 
rivers,  about  one  liundrcd  miles  in  extent,  consisting  of 
a  tract  called  the  Barrens,  a  few  years  since  exhibited 
the  appearance  of  a  beautiful  praira,  destitute  of  timber. 
A  young  growth  of  various  kinds  of  trees  now  covers 
this  champaign  sjiace,  which  c<mtinues  as  fonnerly  to  be 
ovcripread  with  grass,  and  a  great  variety  of  plants, 
which  during  the  spring  and  summer  months  are  adorned 
with  beautiful  flowers  of  every  hue.  The  soil  is  fertile, 
being  a  mixture  of  clay,  loam  and  sand.  Through  tliis, 
which  is  called  tlie  Green  river  country,  is  a  chain  of 
conical  hills.  Here  is  a  most  stupendous  cavern,  called 
Mammotli  Cave.  It  is  said  to  be  eiglit  or  ten  miles  in 
length,  with  »unnorous  avenues  and  windings.  Earth  is 
80  strongly  impregnated  with  nitre,  in  various  oaves  of 
Kentucli^y,  as  to  yield,  on  refining,  50  per  cent,  of  the  lat- 
ter— large  (juantities  of  which  are  matiufacturcd  for  ex- 
portation. In  some  places  the  earth  lias  been  excavated 
by  the  rivers  so  deep,  as  (o  form  IViglitful  precipices  and 
gulphs ;  and  the  rivers  are  coiifmed  between  banks  of 
solid  limestone,  500  feet  in  perpendicular  height,  sur- 
mounted with  a  precipitous  and  almost  inaccessible  as- 
cent four  times  as  high,  presenting  an  awfully  sublime 
spectacle  to  the  beholder.  A  substratum  of  solid  lime- 
stone, from  three  to  fifteen  feet  below  the  surface,  and  in 
many  places  so  thick  as  to  render  the  digging  of  wells 
impracticable,  extends  over  the  greater  part  of  the  state. 


KENTUCKY. 


9i 


at  and 
barren 
ting  of 
liibited 
timber, 
covera 
y  to  be 
plants, 
ilorned 
fertile, 
gl»  tl.is, 
liuin  of 
,  called 
tiles  in 
,aith  is 
,ves  of 
he  lat- 
for  ex- 
avated 
es  and 
nks  of 
lit,  sur- 
ilc  as- 
Inblime 
lime- 
and  in 
wells 
state. 


Marble  of  an  excellent  quality  is  found  in  abundance  on 
tlie  banks  of  the  Kentucky  river. 

First  settleme'Jts. — Tlie  tract,  constituting  Kentucky, 
was  formerly  claimed  as  well  by  the  Northern,  or  Six 
Nations,  as  by  the  Cherokees.    As  the  title  could  not 
be  settled  by  compromise,  they  rcsprted  to  hostilities  to 
decide  it  by  combat.     Hence  these  lands  l)ecame  both 
the  cause  and  the  tlieatre  of  a  war,  terribly  destructive, 
wliicJi  caused  them  to  be  called,  in  the  language  of  the 
aborij^ines,  by  a  name  which  signified  Uluodij  Grounds.--^ 
The  province  of  Virginia,  in  1768,  at  the  treaties,  of 
liancaster  and  Stanwix,  purchased  the  claim  of  the  Six 
Nations ;  as  did  Col.  H.  Henderson  that  of  the  Chero- 
kees, in  1775.     The  state  of  Virginia,  although  they  con- 
sidered the  purchase  of  Henderson  void,  it  beitig  an  in- 
terference against  the  law  of  the  state,  quieted  him  by  a 
grant  of  twelve  miles  square,  at  t'>e  mouth  of  Green 
river,     lite  Indians,  notwithstanding  all  their  claims  to 
lands  in  Kemucky  had  been  relinquished,  continually 
harassed  the  inhabitants,  from  the  first  settlement,  which 
was  made  by  Col.  Daniel  Boone,  from  North  Ciirolina,  in 
1775  ;  he  having  four  or  five  years  before  that  time  tho- 
roughly explored  the  country.     In  1777,  the  whole  tern- 
tory  of  Kentucky,  containing  then  a  considerable  popu- 
latJDn,  was  erected  into  a  county  of  Virginia.     At  this 
period  the  inhabitants,  while  subjected  to  all  the  devas- 
tations and  barbarities  of  savage  warfare,  resolved  on  the 
bold  expedient  of  pursuing  the  enemy  to  his  towns,  and 
attacking  him  in  his  possess''^*"".  And  putting  themselves 
under  that  brave  and  ente  prift.:  g  ofiicer,  Gen.  Clark,  in 
1778,  they  conquered  and  V/^ik   possession  of  all  the  In- 
dian and  French  settlements  from  the  Ohio  to  the  Illinois. 
The  Gen.  leaving  behind  liim  a  sufficient  garrison,  pro- 


m 


■>%. 


A/. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


W 


// 


{•/ 


/<^.€p 


,<c'  i^:^' .  m^ 


Q- 


w.. 


y 


^    '"* 


M, 


a/s 


'(/. 
% 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


15  0     ""'^^ 


I'i^  ilM    112  2 

!i^  I-  ill  2.0 


1.8 


14    IIIIII.6 


M- 


<^ 


/a 


/ 


'cr-l 


c-l 


VI 


%^  "^  ^'■>^ 


o 


/ 


/A 


Photograpliic 

Sciences 
CorporatiDn 


3?  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


,\ 


iV 


ip 


V 


"^ 


.V 


"^. 


fC 


P§\ 


^ 


w^ 


^^^mmmm 


0d 


KENTUCKY. 


ceeded  without  delay  to  Vincennes,  against  which  post, 
although  strongly  fortified  and  well  supplied  with  artil- 
lery, he  brought  his  little  army — inferior  in  numbers  and 
armed  with  rifles  only — and  compelled  the  enemy  to  sur- 
render. Having  established  a  garrison  at  the  latter  place, 
and  induced  most  of  the  Wabash  and  Illinois  tribes  to 
abandon  the  British,  and  join  the  American  standard — • 
that  gallant  officer,  returning  to  Kentucky,  and  putting 
himself  at  the  head  of  her  militia,  conducted  two  success- 
ful expeditions  against  the  Shawnee,  Delaware  and  Min- 
go tribes  of  Indians,  defeated  their  combined  forces  in  a 
general  engagement,  and  burnt  and  laid  waste  the  most 
of  their  towns,  which  were  situated  on  the  Miami  and 
Scioto  rivers.  Although  by  these  successful  enterprises 
great  protection  was  afforded  to  the  country,  the  flames 
of  savage  warfare  were  not  extinguished  by  the  treaty  of 
Paris  in  1783 — they  continued  to  rage  on  the  frontiers 
for  twelve  years  after,  until  the  treaty  of  Greenville  in 
%715.  In  1782,  Kentucky  was  formed  into  a  District, 
with  an  independent  judiciary,  from  which  there  might 
be  an  appeal,  in  certain  cases,  to  the  superior  courts  in 
Virginia.  But  although  the  mother  state  had  conducted 
towards  these  new  settlers  with  so  liberal  a  policy,  as  to 
preclude  all  complaint,  their  distance  from  the  seat  of 
government  had  subjected  them  to  serious  inconvenien- 
ces, which  prompted  them  to  ask  for  a  separation.  To 
which  proposal  the  state  of  Virginia,  in  1785,  readily  ac- 
quiesced. Divers  causes,  however,  retarded  the  admift* 
tion  of  the  new  state  into  the  union  until  February,  1791. 
Tlie  Population  of  this  state,  by  the  census  of  1810, 
was  returned  as  amounting  to  406,511.  Since  which 
period,  the  emigration  from  Kentucky  to  the  various  parts 
of  the  western  country,  it  is  presumed,  has  been  nearly 


OF  THE  SEVERAL  COUNTIES  IN  1816. 


KENTUCKY.  . 

equal  both  to  the  nainrai  • 

emigration  into  the  "1  '^7-'  -«>  ^e  accession  b^ 

the  resolve  of  the  le^.lZe -^^'T^"^'''  """"  »» 
to  be  422,900-pr„f„ei„!'VJi!  ';*'.''''"'»""* wear. 

16,389.     The  population '!„!"'"  '"  ^""'•^  "f  ""ly 

ral  counties,  wKX^^^'h  ""''•'  '""»"g  *he  seve"^ 

of  which  they  respectively  £  :,'  ""P"'""  *"  -""ties 

exhibited  in  the  followi  JeSi 'i!  '"*'  »'  J^""' «- 

POPULATION 

Counties, 

Adair 

Baner 

Boone 

Bracken 

Bourbon 

Butler 

Bullit 

Clark 

Casejr 

Campbell 

Christian 

Cumberland 
Clay 

Caldwell 

Estle 

Fayette 

Franklin 

Fleming 

Floyd 

^Gallatin 

Crreenup 


Population, 

r,ooo 

12,000 
4,200 
3,800 
20,000 
25,000 
5,000 
12,300 

3,roo 

3,500 
12,000 

^,000 
2,600 
5,000 
2,200 
23,000 
8,500 
9,000 
3,600 
3,800 
2,500 


^«V  Towns, 
Columbia 
Glasgow 

Burlington 

Augusta 

Paris 

Morgantown 
Shepherdsville 
Winchester 
Liberty 

Newport 

Hopkinsonville 
Burkesville 
Manchester 
Eddy  Grove 

I^exington 
Frankfort 

Flemingsburgh 
Prestonville 
Fort  William 
Cfreenupsburgh 


m 


'"■"^T'^'^mmimm 


^mtmm 


04 


! 

KENTUCK\ 

• 

Counties, 

Population. 

Chief  Towns. 

Green 

7,100 

Greensbiirgh 

Grayson 

2,400 

Garrard 

9,700 

.   Lancaster 

Henry 

7,000 

New  Castle 

Harrison 

8,100 

Cynthiana 

Henderson 

5,000 

Henderson 

Hardin 

7,800 

Elizabethtown 

Hopkins 

3,100 

Madisonville 

Jessamine 

8,600 

Nicholasville 

Jefferson 

13,800 

Louisville 

Knox 

6,000 

Barboursville 

Livingston 

4,000 

Smithland 

Lewis 

2,500 

Clarksville 

Lincoln 

9,000 

Stamford 

Logan 

12,600 

Russelville 

Mason 

13,000 

Washington 

Mercer 

13,100 

Danville 

Madison 

16,000 

Richmond 

Muhlenburgh 

4,400 

Greenville 

Montgomery 

13,600 

Mount  Sterling 

Nicholas 

5,000 

EUisviUe 

Nelson 

14,600 

Bairdstown 

Ohio 

4,000 

Hartford 

Pulaski 

7,000 

Somerset 

Pendleton 

.     3,200 

Falmouth 

Rock  Castle 

1,900 

Mount  Vernon 

Scott 

12,700 

Georgetown 

Shelby 

15,000 

Shelbyville 

Wayne 

5,600 

Monticello 

Washington 

13.600 

Springfield 

Warr«n 

12,200 

Bowling  Green 

Woodford 

9,900 

Versailles 

KENTUCKY. 

are  the  principal  article,  for  exnTrt!'*       ^"^"'"""''"P' 
corn  is  extensively  raised  Z  T^"'"—^'''^  Indian 

o;ts.  barley,  ^cr.:zTnl:J^^:,rr'"^''""-  %e. 

Apples,  pea«,  peachej,  ch^eT^     J  "r"'"™'^'^- 
most  common  fruit.     Gr^*  „     I  P'"™""'  »■■«  <lie 

«'e  and  ho„es  are  raided  for  ^rrkt"  m""''  "^'^  ^«'- 
combining  beauty  and  strelTh  1  '"*'  "^  ""  ''>«^'-. 

found  in  any  state  of  fte  S.'     "  '"*"™'''  '*"""'  "^ 

PMNCIPAL  TOWNS 

•«'«ys»i&,  formerly  Limeston.  •   .,, 
stands  on  the  bank  of   ro7''"°''"*^»f  Mason. 

creek,  about  m  mUel  tlZ"'  T  '""'"^  ^^'^^"'^^ 
f'ttsbu^h.  It  is  aconteSrl  'J  "^  ""*-«■»■" 
'»»di«g  of  boats,  anrrrn,  '^.''''^''^"^'■•'■■the 
yt  of  which  ar;  bum  7^^,^'"'  *''''"  "«»  ho-ses. 
a  !»nfc,  40  stores,  one  "oLl "  '''  I"  ""  ^'''gant  style, 
and  tin  manufactories  ^T'  t  ^''  "»''  **»  «»PPer 
^hops;  one  printing  ;£  *""?''"' "*''^  "^'=''^"ic 

newspaper,  a  post  oLefeet!'''  "r"'^'"'^  "  -«'% 
'"'O  seminaries  of  le«l;  „„  °T  '^'■P''"'<=  •^"■^''ip. 
S'^tn.ill.  a  rope  w  Hf .?  *"''  '""'^'  »"«  ^'^am 

^  '•"';>^»'arket\ous'Thr;Vr'''t '"'•'•  -" 
dep  site  in  the  northeast  ™^   rT  ^'"^  *«  Principal 

-e  transported  nj  Sl^  ^h    '  '"*'''  '"^  «»»*'  *''' 

^'HTtt5:s?e:r;f^"""'-^"^-«ayswii, 

^- P"Wic  worsCtS^^cadem      ""''••'■*''''''» ''«-- 
office,  six  tavemrsTZ,  r   ■*  r*""''  P^-tinS 


96 


KENTUCKY. 


Paris,  the  capital  of  Bourbon  county,  is  upon  an  emi- 
nence on  the  Stony  Fork  of  Licking  river,  at  the  mouth 
of  Huston  creek,  contains  many  well  finished  brick 
houses,  mercantile  stores,  mechanic  shops,  &c.  two  mer- 
chant grist  mills,  several  carding  machines,  two  churches 
and  a  printing  office ;  and  surrounded  by  a  fine  rich 
country. 

Lexington,  22  miles  east  southeast  from  Frankfort, 
64  southwest  from  Maysville,  and  335  by  land  from  Pitts- 
burgh, is  in  north  latitude  38°  6'.    It  is  the  most  popu- 
lous, flourishing  town  in  the  state,  and  the  capital  of  Fay- 
ette county.    It  is  delightfully  situated,  and  surrounded 
by  one  of  the  most  fertile  and  delightsome  farming  coun- 
tries in  the  west,    its  site  is  on  the  north  side  of  the  Iron 
Fork,  a  small  creek  which  flows  into  Elkhorn  river ;  con- 
tains about  1000  houses,  the  main  street  exceeding  a  mile 
in  length,  80  feet  wide,  level  and  well  paved,  with  foot 
ways  12  feet  wide  on  each  side.    It  contains  a  court 
house,  a  jail,  a  market  house,  a  theatre,  masonic  hall, 
museum,  public  library,  female  academy,  an  University, 
three  banks,  one  of  which  is  a  branch  of  the  U.  S.  bank, 
and  three  printing  offices,  each  of  which  publishes  a 
weekly  newspaper.    There  are  seven  houses  for  public 
worship ;  three  Presbyterian,  one  Episcopaliani  one  Bap- 
tist, one  Methodist,  and  one  Roman  Catholic.    Lexing- 
ton  has  flourished  rapidly — ^there  being,  in  1797  only 
about  50  liouses.    The  houses  are  built  generally  in  a 
handsome  style.    Near  the  centre  is  a  public  square, 
surrounded  by  brick  buildings.    There  are  various  exten- 
sive manufacturing  establishments  in  this  town ;  among 
which  are  four  nail  factories^  two  copper  and  tin  manu- 
Victories,  a  steam  grist  and  paper  mill,  several  large  rope 
walks,  cotton  ^nd  woolen  manufactories,  distilleries, 


KENTUCKY. 


&r 


breweries,  &c.    In  the  vicinity  are  a  number  of  handsome 
country  seats. 

Georgetowrit  the  capital  of  Scott  county,  stands  ou 
Royal  Spring,  which  empties  into  North  Elkhorn,  about  a 
mile  from  the  town.  It  contains  a  meeting  house,  print- 
inw  office,  post  office,  a  rope  walk,  several  neat  houses, 
and  manufacturing  establishments. 

Danvillet  the  capital  of  Mercer  county,  is  33  miles 
south-soutliwest  from  Lexington,  on  the  southwest  side 
of  Dick's  river,  containing  more  than  200  houses,  six 
merchant  stores,  several  small  factories,  a  rope  walk, 
a  court  house,  post  office  and  printing  office,  in  which  is 
published  a  weekly  newspaper. 

Uarrodshurgh,  a  post  town  of  Mercer  county,  is  10 
miles  northwest  from  Danville,  on  both  sides  Salt  river, 
and  contains  80  houses,  including  two  merchant  stores, 
a  meeting  house  and  post  office. 

Stamford,  the  chief  town  of  Lincoln  county,  10  miles 
south-southeast  from  Danville,  contains  112  houses,  two 
stores,  a  court  house,  a  jail,  post  office  and  a  rope  walk. 
There  are  several  large  plantations  near,  from  whence 
the  springs  issue,  which  form  the  sources  of  Green  river. 

Somerset^  the  seat  of  justice  for  Pulaski  county,  is  situ- 
ated 12  miles  south-southeast  of  Stamford,  on  a  hill,  con- 
taining about  80  houses,  eight  stores,  three  blacksmith 
shops,  a  grist  mill,  four  taverns  and  a  post  office.  Six 
nrfles  beyond  Somerset,  on  the  Monticello  road,  the  hilly 
oak  and  chesnut  forest  commences.  The  ascent  from 
the  rich  lands  below  to  the  summit  of  the  knobs,  is  seve- 
ral hundred  ieet. 

MmtieeUo,  the  capital  of  Wayne  county,  has  an  eleva- 
ted situation  on  a  dry  ridge,  half  way  between  Cumber- 
Ift&d  river,  and  Tennessee  boundary  line,  contains  60 


98 


KENTUCKY. 


houses,  a  court  house,  a  place  for  public  worship,  three 
taverns  and  five  stores;  south,  are  saltpetre  caves  near. 

Frankfort,  a  post  town,  and  metropolis  of  Kentucky, 
on  Kentucky  river,  60  miles  above  its  confluence  with 
the  Ohio,  22  west  northwest  from  Lexington,  52  east  from 
Louisville,  longitude  7°  38'  west,  latitude  58°  14'  north. 
This  town  is  little  inferior  to  Lexington,  in  the  size  and 
number  of  its  houses  ;  it  contains  a  state  house,  a  court 
house,  a  penitentiary,  a  jail,  market  house,  a  state  bank, 
an  academy,  two  houses  of  public  worship,  and  three 
printing  oflices,  each  issuing  a  paper  weekly.  The  state 
house  is  86  feet  by  54,  composed  of  rough  marble.  Tlie 
court  house  is  a  large  brick  building.  The  penitentiary 
contained,  in  1817,  from  seventy  to  one  hundred  prison- 
ers, the  product  of  whose  labor  exceeded  their  expenses 
for  support  and  confinement.  The  town  contains  several 
rope  walks,  two  bagging  manufactories,  a  tobacco  ware 
house,  and  powder  mills.  The  site  of  the  town  is  a 
semicircular  alluvial  plain,  200  feet  lower  than  the  ground 
in  its  rear.  The  river,  which  is  here  100  yards  wide, 
Imving  bold  limestone  banks,  forms  a  handsome  cuive 
and  waters  the  southern  and  western  parts  of  the  town. 
The  bottoms,  on  each  side  of  the  river  are  broad,  and 
subject  to  inundation.  For  several  years  after  the  set- 
tlements commenced,  the  inhabitants  were  afflicted  witli 
bilious  complaints  ;  the  chief  cause  of  this  disease, 
is  considered  as  being  removed  by  draining  the  land 
which  confined  stagnant  water.  Several  large  brigs  have 
been  built  here  and  sent  to  New-Orleans. 

Versailles^  the  seat  of  justice  for  Woodford,  a  rich  and 
populous  county,  stands  on  a  creek,  which  discharges 
into  Kentucky  river,  13  miles  southwest  by  south  from 
Lexington  ;  it  contains  100  houses,  mostly  large,  built 
of  brick  and  stone. 


KENTUCKY. 


99 


Shelbyville,  8tamls  on  Braslian's  creek,  li2  miles  above 
its  junction  witli  Salt  river,  and  20  miles  southwest  from 
Franklin. — It  is  the  seat  of  justice  for  Shelby  county, 
and  contains  several  stores  and  mechanic  shops,  a  court 
house,  meeting  house,  post  office,  and  printing  office. 

Cynthiana  stands  on  the  South  Fork  of  I^icking,  34 
miles  southeast  from  Newport,  and  26  north  by  east 
from  Lexington,  and  is  the  county  seat  of  ITarnson.  It 
contains  120  houses,  a  court  and  market  house,  jail,  and 
an  academy,  endowed  by  the  legislature  with  6,000  acres 
of  land.  Several  merchant  stores  and  mechanic  sliops, 
with  12  grist  and  saw  mills,  are  within  three  miles  of  the 
town. 

Shippingportt  is  situated  at  the  foot  of  the  falls  of  the 
Ohio,  two  miles  below  the  mouth  of  Beargrass  creek.  It 
is  the  landing  place  for  goods,  ascending  the  river  for 
Kentucky.  After  passing  the  rapids,  it  is  usual  for  boats 
descending,  to  put  in  and  obtain  a  supply  of  necessaries 
for  their  voyage. 

Portland  is  just  below  and  adj[bining  Shippingport.  It 
is  a  flourishing  place.  A  street  99  feet  wide,  having  a 
communication  with  Louisville,  extends  along  the  highest 
bank  above  the  whole  length  of  the  town.  It  contains 
three  ware  houses,  several  stores,  and  one  good  tavern. 

Augusta  stands  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Ohio,  22  miles 
below  Maysville,  and  is  the  capital  of  Bracken  county. 
It  is  surrounded  by  an  extensive  bottom,  and  affiards  a 
view  of  the  river,  has  a  clean  gravelly  beach  for  a  landing, 
and  contains  about  80  houses,  several  stores,  a  court  house, 
and  meetinghouse.  Bracken  creek  discharges  into  the 
Ohio,  about  a  half  mile  above  the  village,  and  drives  seve- 
ral grist  mills. 


100 


KENTUCKY. 


J\/*ewport,  the  county  seat  for  Campbell,  stands  just 
above  the  mouth  of  Licking,  and  opposite  to  Cincinnati. 
It  commands  a  delightsome  variegated  prospect,  and  is 
the  point  of  rendezvous  for  most  of  the  military  v°xpe- 
ditions  from  Kentucky.  In  this  town  the  public  arsjinal, 
a  spacious  building,  containing  arms  and  munitions  of 
war  for  the  United  States,  is  situated  on  the  bank  of  the 
Ohio.  It  contains  several  handsome  brick  houses  ;  a 
banking  house,  court  house,  jail  and  market  house,  seve- 
ral stores,  a  tobacco  manufactory,  a  post  office,  a  school 
house,  a  public  academy,  not  yet  in  operation,  although 
endowed  by  the  state  with  6000  acres  of  land,  and  two 


veligious  societies. 


Covington  lies  just  below  Newport,  on  the  opposite 
side  of  Licking.  Tlie  great  road  from  the  interior  of 
Kentucky  to  the  Miami  and  Whitewater  country,  passes 
through  this  place. 

Port  William,  the  county  seat  for  Gallatin,  stands  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Kentucky  river,  and  contains  60  houses, 
several  stores,  mechanic  shops  and  two  inns. 

J\'*ew-Castle,  18  miles  southwest  from  Westport,  is  the 
seat  of  justice  for  Henry  county,  and  contains  80  houses, 
principally  of  wood,  a  court  house,  and  four  stores. 

Westporty  in  Henry  county,  on  the  bank  of  the  Ohio, 
48  miles  below  the  mouth  of  Kentucky  river,  and  twenty- 
four  above  Louisville,  contains  about  50  houses,  includ- 
ing stores  and  mechanic  shops — ^is  watered  by  Little 
Kentucky ;  which  is  a  commodious  mill  stream.  The 
surrounding  lands  are  fertile.  There  is  plenty  of  good 
oak  for  ship  building.  On  Dennon's  creek,  25  miles 
from  the  Ohio,  is  a  salt  lick ;  lead  ore  is  found  near  the 
lick ;  and  about  three  miles  up  the  creek  is  a  medicinal 
spring,  much  frequented  in  s\immer  by  the  inhabitants. 


KEXTUCKV.  ^Q 

louisvUlc,  the  capital  of  T«ft- 
of.be  rupi..,  „„  ,1,0  olio  f'*-^""  ^»"»«y.  »*  the  hea,l 
an<l  42  wost  f,.„,„  F^X    '  ^'^  ^elow  Cincinnati. 

containing  neaH,  5,000  in'hab  ^  .^"'r.f "' '"  ^  »'»*«'. 
eJ  on  an  eminence,  whiclu,  70  f     'k    u'    '"'""'^  '"""f- 
'"S 'o  a  nanw  ../ain  all  g^bajte 
contama  two   banks,   one  of  Jh    i  *  ""*''•    " 

other  public  buildini  an.ll.      ■         "^ailemy,  various 
"factories.     The    hrl   n  "  '"'"=  """''»"'•  '"»»- 

with  the  river.  Frl„  tLT"?:'  ''"^'^  ™"  P-'-''^! 
"f«.e  rapids  an..  fT  h  «  .I^T.f'""' ^  ''"''  -- 
side  of  the  river.    Alth„„„l  ''  ""  "'"  »??«■""« 

Porated  b,  the    eg^  iTflr  ^^  ''-  ^""Lo,- 
K«nt„ck^  side  of  "th     a^df  ^f "'"«  "  ^'">»'  »"  «>e 

P-*  «.at  such  an  underS'tm  brerl?'"  '"''■ 
generally  thought  bv  ,Ii«i>,t       ,  *'''"^'^'' '  '^  •'  's 

"on  of  f  canal  he—Mt'  ""'  *''''  ^''^  ^-^a- 
reater  expense  tha'  1  K  ,'  1"'"''^''  ^'"'  «  vastly 
'-ingbee„^,r:  dytXta^^^:^^^^^^^^^^^^  *'  *"<=  ">«- 
-e'er  the  direction'of  enterpri  i„:'lri,r  "^^''''^'-^ 
An  extensive  commerce  is  nL  .  ■  .  -"anagers.— 
New-Orleans,  <.„d  St-Touis  "'^  ""  '''■'"'  Nafcl>e^. 

SusselviUe  lays  36  miles  frn,n  r 
rivers.  180  southwest  of  F,  „lT  f''™  ""'*  '^"'"''erland 
I-"-iIle.  within  //LLjtr'  «»■ -"'-est  of 
and   within  25  ™i,e,  of  Mu,wf '  T""  ?  ""^  ^'"■"'' 
"ver,  on  the  north  each  nl       uT'       *"■""''''   »'"  Green 
"•oats  into  G..ena„at,S   ?"'■'■"'"*'  '"^  '-S" 
'' 0 1'ouses.  seve^  i,S  "    t       '""''•    ^'  ^""'"'"^ 
•"•anch  of  the  bank  of  Ll  r      ''  '^"^^  "^^  ho"'*. 


PIP 


■■ 


MP 


lOS 


KENTUCKY. 


\y  timber,  on  the  soutl),  nii  open  piaira,  extending  15 
miles  wide,  which  expands  90  miles  in  length.  These 
prairas  are  interspersed  with  groves  of  timber ;  the  soil 
is  rich  and  well  watered.  Within  two  miles  of  Uussel- 
ville,  a  society  have  planted  a  vineyard.  Considerable 
quantities  of  cotton  are  raised  in  this  country,  for  ax- 
portation. 

Bairdstown,  the  capital  of  Nelson  county,  lays  on  the 
east  side  of  Buck  Fork,  a  principal  branch  of  Salt  river, 
35  miles  south  of  Frankfort,  in  latitude  Sb**  49'.  It  con- 
tains more  than  300  houses,  including  mercantile  stores, 
a  stone  court  house,  printing  office,  jail,  church,  and  mar- 
ket house. 

Henderson^  is  situated  on  the  Red  bank  of  the  Ohio,  75 
miles  below  Louisville,  being  the  seat  of  justice  for  Hen- 
derson county.  The  town  is  small,  and  contains  a  few 
stores  and  inns.  Tobacco  is  the  principal  staple  for  the 
surrounding  country,  but  considerable  quantities  of  cot- 
ton are  raised. 

Mountains. — The  great  Cflmberland  chain  of  moun- 
tains, reaching  over  the  southern  borders  of  this  state, 
projects  into  divers  branches;  and  after  putting  out 
into  an  extensive  range  in  Tennessee,  terminates  by  one 
ridge  in  the  western  part  of  Kentucky,  between  the  Ten- 
nessee and  Cumberland  rivers.  These  include  the  only 
mountains  in  the  state,  worthy  of  notice. 

Rivers. — The  Big  Sandy  rises  m  the  Allegany  moun- 
tains, near  the  sources  of  the  Clinch  and  Cumberland,  and 
forms  part  of  the  boundary  line  between  Kentucky  and 
Virginia;  is  200  yards  wide  at  its  mouth, branching  into 
the  North-east  and  South  Forks,  40  miles  from  its  junc- 
tion with  tlie  Ohio,  and  is  navigable  to  the  Audsciot* 
Biountaius.    Between  the  mouths  of  Big  Sandy  and  Liek- 


#«»'' 


KENTUCKY. 


108 


ing,  the  following  creeks  and  rivulets*  flow  into  the  Ohio, 
(being  from  18to  72  miles  long,  ami  from  10to50yanl« 
wide  at  their  mouths,)  viz.  Little  Sandy,  below  Big  San<ly 
22  miles ;  Tiber's  creek,  below  21 ;  Sycamore  creek,  18 ; 
Crooked  creek,  13  ;  Cahbin  creek,  Brooks's  creek,  Lime- 
stone  creek  and  Bracken  creek.  These  streams  are  mostly 
navigable  for  small  boats  and  canoes. 

Licking  river  has  its  source  in  the  southeast  corner  of 
the  state,  near  the  head  ')f  the  Cumberland — pursues  a 
northwestern  course,  and  meets  the  Ohio  at  Newport, 
opposite  Cincinnati.  The  extent  of  its  meandeu.js  is 
200  miles,  of  which  70  miles  from  the  mouth  is  navigiale. 

The  Kentucky  finds  its  source  in  the  mountains,  at  +he 
southeast  angle  of  the  state,  where  it  interlocks  witlv  tue 
head  waters  oi  Licking  and  Cumberland ;  and  persuing 
a  north  ./est  course,  it  mingles  with  the  Ohio  at  Port 
William,  77  miles  above  Louisville.  It  is  navigable  for 
more  than  150  miles  from  its  mouth,  which  is  150  yards 
wide.  Tlie  current  is  rapid,  and  the  banks  high  and 
rocky,  exhibiting  in  some  parts,  a  grand  and  romantic 
scenery. 

Dick's,  a  tributary  to  the  Kentucky,  below  the  mouth 
of  Hickman,  takes  its  rise  in  Lincoln  county ;  is  52 
miles  long,  and  60  yards  wide  at  the  mouth.  Its  current 
is  rapid,  and  its  waters  are  walled  in  by  precipices  300 
feet  high,  composed  of  solid  limestone  and  white  marble. 

Elkhorn,  another  tributary,  flows  into  the  Kentucky 
eight  miles  below  Frankfort ;  is  50  yards  wide  at  the 
mouth,  and  is  formed  from  two  forks :  the  one  rising  near 
Lexington,  and  the  other  near  Georgetown.  These 
branches  water  Scott  and  Fayette  counties ;  their  cur- 
rents are  rapid,  precipitous,  and  capable  of  driving  miUa 
and  mill  machinery. 


^»"i 


im 


KENTUCKY. 


Eagle  creek  proceeds  from  Harrison  county,  and  meets 
the  Kentucky  fifteen  miles  from  the  mou*li  of  the  latte»'. 

Salt  river,  in  three  branches,  from  Mercer  county, 
through  a  mouth  150  yards  wide,  meets  the  Ohio  twenty 
miles  below  Louisville.  It  traverses  the  counties  of 
Jefferson,  Greenup,  Washington  and  Mercer,  and  is  na- 
vigable 150  miles. 

Green  river  commences  in  Lincoln  county,  and  pur- 
suing a  western  course,  flows  into  the  Ohio  200  miles 
below  Louisville,  and  50  above  the  Cumberland.  At  its 
mouth  is  50  yards  wide,  and  navigable  200  miles — flows 
northeast,  receiving  in  its  progress  many  tributary  streams, 
of  which  the  principal  is  Great  Barren  river,  that  is  fed 
through  several  forks,  which  head  near  the  Cumberland 
and  Tennessee.  Little  Ban^en  rises  in  BuUit  county, 
and  joins  the  right  branch  of  Green  river,  50  miles  below 
the  Great  Barren.  Bough  river  flows  fiom  the  south- 
east, and  joins  Green  river  50  miles  from  its  confluence 
with  the  Ohio.  Panther'^s  creek  comes  in  from  the  south- 
east, 2C  miles  from  the  Ohio. 

The  Trade-water  rises  in  the  county  of  Cliristian,  at 
the  bend  of  the  Cumberland  ;  is  80  miles  long ;  pursuing 
a  northwest  course,  meets  the  Ohio  through  a  mouth  70 
yards  wide,  200  miles  below  the  mouth  of  Green  river; 
being  nearly  an  equal  distjince  from  the  mouth  of  Green 
and  Cumberland  rivers. 

The  Cumberland,  which  traverses  a  long  way  in  a  cir- 
cuitous route,  within  the  limits  of  Kentucky,  as  also  the 
Ohio  and  Tennessee,  have  already  been  described  in  our 
preliminary  remarks. 

Bed  river  takes  its  rise  in  Cumberland  county,  and 
after  flowing  sou^west  50  miles,  by  a  mouth  80  yards 
wide,  joins  the  Cumberland. 


KENTUCKY. 


105 


The  ICaskinampas  river  waters  the  western  end  of  the 
jitate,  proceeds  from  near  the  Tennessee,  and  pursuing  a 
westeni  course,  enters  the  Mississippi  about  half  way 
between  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio  and  New-Madrid. 

Minerals. — Iron  ia  abundant  in  several  parts  of  this 
state,  though  not  of  the  best  quality,  and  is  principally 
used  to  form  hollow  ware.  Of  marble  there  are  immense 
quarries,  beautifully  variegated,  and  capable  of  a  high 
polish,  on  the  banks  of  the  Kentucky.  A  mineral  ofpe^ 
culiar  qualities  has  been  discovered,  that  is  semi-trans- 
parent, and  always  in  a  rhomboidal  form,  which  possesses 
the  double  refracting  power  of  the  Iceland  crystal.  The 
mineral  waters  of  this  state  will  be  found  under  that 
head,  in  our  preliminary  remarks. 

The  productions  of  Kentucky  are  similar  to  those  of 
Ohio ;  except  that  the  southern  part,  from  its  position,  is 
better  adapted  to  the  cultivation  of  cotton.  It  is  how- 
ever said  that  Enj^'ish  grasses,  on  account  of  a  larger  pro- 
portion of  calcareous  ingredients  in  its  soil,  do  not  suc- 
ceed so  well.  Hemp,  wheat  and  tobacco  have  been  con- 
sidered the  principal  staples.  The  latter  article  is  raised 
iu  great  abundance. 

In  Manufactures^  Kentucky  has  made  very  considera- 
ble progress.  In  1810,  by  a  return  made  to  the  office  of 
the  Secretary  of  State,  it  appeared  that  the  amount  of 
manufactured  ai  tides  exceeded  85,000,000.  Of  which 
aggregate  the  loom  produced  82,657,084 ;  the  salt  works 
8393,400 ;  maple  sugar  8308,932 — the  rem  ' .. Jer  con- 
sisted of  the  products  of  tanneries,  distilleries,  paper 
mills,  and  divert  other  species  of  manufactures. 

Among  the  L'terary  Institutions  of  this  state,  the  prin- 
cipal is  the  Transylvania  University,  at  Lexington,  which 
was  incorporated  several  yeais  ago,  and  which  has  lately 


106 


KENTUCKY. 


been  reorganised  and  placed  on  a  respectable  foundation* 
There  are  two  college  edifices,  of  brick— one  erected 
some  time  since ;  the  other  an  elegant  edifice,  built  in 
1818,  upon  so  extended  a  scale  as  to  accommodate  one 
hundred  students.  The  former  library  contained  nearly 
2000  volumes,  to  wliich  of  late  has  been  made  a  large 
addition.  Here  is  also  a  complete  philosophical  appara- 
tus. The  extent  of  the  funds  with  which  this  institution 
is  endowed,  we  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain ;  it  is 
however  understood  that  they  are  ample,. consisting  of 
bank  stock  and  real  estate.  There  are  tliirteen  trustees, 
all  elected  triennially  by  the  legislature.  The  executive 
government  is  vested  in  a  president,  a  professor  of  lan- 
guages, one  of  mathematics  and  natural  philosophy,  one 
of  chemistry  and  mineralogy,  two  tutors,  a  professor  of 
law,  and  four  professors  in  the  medical  department.  The 
requisitions  for  admission  and  the  course  of  study  are  to 
be  the  same  as  at  the  University  in  Cambridge,  Mass. 
and  it  is  intended  to  make  the  standard  of  education  as 
high  as  in  any  of  the  Atlantic  colleges. 


INDIANA. 


Indiana  was  admitted  into  the  federal  union,  as  a 
state,  in  the  year  1816.  It  is  bounded  by  the  state  of 
Illinois  on  the  west,  by  a  line  on  the  Wabash  from  its 
mouth  to  40  miles  above  Vincennes,  and  thence  on  a 
meridian  line  so  far  north  as  to  include  the  southern  ex- 
tremity of  lake  Michigan  10  miles  in  depth,  by  a  boun- 
dary line  on  the  nortli  drawn  due  east :  east  by  the  state 
of  Ohio,  by  a  meridian  line,  running  from  t'ae  mouth  of 
the  Big  Miami :  on  the  south  by  the  Ohio  river.  Length 
from  north  to  south,  284  miles;  breadth  from  east  to 
west  155 ;  contains  about  37,000  square  miles;  lays  be- 
tween 37°  45'  and  41°  52'  north  latitude,  and  7°  40'  and 
10°  west  longitude. 

Face  of  the  Country^  Soil,  Sfc, — Tliere  are  in  Indiana 
no  considerable  heights  of  land,  that  (strictly  speaking) 
can  properly  be  denominated  mountairs.  The  river  hills 
from  100  to  200  feet  high,  diverging  from  30  to  600  rods 
from  the  Ohio,  according  to  the  width  of  the  alluvial 
margin,  commence  within  two  miles  east  of  the  Great 
Miami,  and  extend  in  the  direction  of  the  river  Ohio, 
within  about  twelve  miles  above  the  Falls,  where  they 
gradually  merge  in  a  valley,  which  extends  about  25 
miles  below ;  where  the  same  range  of  lulls  reappears, 
and  extends  in  the  course  of  the  river,  as  it  runs,  from 
60  to  70  miles  below,  where  tlie  hills  disappear,  and  i 


108 


INDIANA. 


region  sometimes  level,  and  sometimes  waving,  com- 
mences, which  is  expanded  southwestwardly  to  the  Wa- 
bash, and  northwestwardly  and  northeastwardly,  with 
rare  exceptions,  to  the  great  western  lakes. 

On  the  borders  of  most  of  the  streams  are  strips  of 
rich  bottom,  and  there  are  also  praira  lands,  from  one  to 
five  miles  wide.  Between  the  Wabash  and  lake  Michi- 
gan, the  country  is  generally  level,  abounding  alternately 
with  prairas  and  woodland,  and  occasionally  large  marsh- 
es, and  several  small  lakes.  Some  of  the  prairas  be- 
tween fort  Harrison  and  fort  Meigs,  are  covered  witli 
red  top  and  fowl  meadow  grasses. 

Between  the  Ohio  and  White  river,  a  range  of  knobs 
forms  the  high  table  lands  that  divide  the  head  waters 
of  some  of  the  tributaries  to  the  Ohio  from  those  of  the 
White  river,  commencing  about  25  miles  north  from  the 
Ohio,  and  20  miles  eastwardly  from  Salem,  and  pursuing 
a  course  south westwardly,  reaches  that  river  13  or  13 
miles  below  the  Falls,  where  they  terminate.  Most  of 
this  region  is  thickly  covered  with  large  forest  trees. 

North  of  the  Wabash,  between  Tippecanoe  and  Ouita- 
non,  a  French  settlement,  the  banks  of  the  streams  are 
higii,  abrupt  and  broken,  and  the  lands,  except  the  prai- 
ras, covered  with  timber.  Between  the  Plein  and  the 
Theakiki,  (which  are  the  head  branches  of  the  Illinois) 
the  country  is  flat  and  wet,  interspersed  with  prairas  of 
an  inferior  soil.  In  this  region,  the  swamps  seem  to  fur- 
nish the  head  streams  of  rivers,  and  the  lands  appear  to 
b3  too  loT*'  and  wet  foi-  cultivation. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  prairas,  the  river  and  the  up' 
land :  the  former  are  destitute  of  timber,  and  are  said  to 
exhibit  vestiges  of  former  cultivation;  the  latter  are 
from  30  to  100  feet  more  elevated,  and  are  more  nume- 


INDIANA. 


109 


lOQ 
rous  and  extensive.    Some  of  ih.r^ 

a  common  field,  oti  cs  Zl^Vl  ""'  ^^^^^  *'^^« 
can  reach.    ThL  ar'  «t    n     ^^  farther  than  the  eye 

;^-psof.ees,aLTo:rtt7:r 

InspnngaBd  summer,  thev  a.P  .„      ^>        ^'''"'  '"'•''*'^- 
S.owth  of  grass  and  CTnt  fl„        'f  ''"'"  "  '•"""■'""* 
f-t  high.    The  soil  o  le"  1     "'  '?"  "^"^  *»  ^'s'" 
Me  as  the  best  bottoms    rr'"". "  '"^'™  "'  ''««P  ""d 
are  remarkably  riclTZ    ,    '"  P.''*"-''^  »«»■•  tlie  Wabash 

found  22  feet  deen  bpH,l.^         Jegefable  soil  has  been 
depth  is  from  t^o'to  fivetet       "'  ""' '  """■  -"">»» 

Among  the  lands  purchased  nf  fi  t  .. 
a<e  8,500.000  acres  within  rtf  /"  ^'"'"'"'  '»  '818, 
■'-  purchase  is  bounld  „„  t;*"'!:?'""'""'-  This 
•8  miles  above  fort  Harriso"  It7  w  u^  "  ""«  ''™^™ 
Indiap  boundary-thence  a,:l  "'M^'"'^^'''  "n  *'>«  old 
^WaSh  to  the  forks  W,  1  !,•""  *''%*''^'  ^'''^  "^  «"> 
fort  Wayne.  "*"  '"<"■'  "»«•  f'om  flience  to 

'^S^z^::^r "-? -■  '^^'^"  ■•'  -. 

-"tribute  to  i«cree';:Xf  <■»'•-> -"g-atl, 

P-Jperity  of  tl,e  state  of  iK        ""'  ''""'"'"'  '^'^ 

The  quality  of  the  soil  r         ,' 
*i"  bear  a  comparis„rl'        ""  '"'«"' " *™^' '» «  Wy 
'•^d  States.    Inde^  ";,*"  7'  P''^'"'P''  '^'"'m  the  U^. 

-".  -.0  havelS  'ZZ'Z  T-"'1;''  ""^'"^^ 
P«'nt  of  rural  scenery  !.  '   "  *"  directions,  in 

fertility  01  soil  and  seTirity  trh"'  u,""'  "''  P''^  ""'-. 
»f  *he  western  country     tI  ''  ''"""  *»  ""^  P"'' 

-ftabeautifulgrowth^'ofltf^^  "?  '^  ^"^'•'='' 
^ommon  to  bottoms  and  „1   .     f ''  ""*  ""''''«  «'ose 
^''tateof  Ohio ;  exceot  «?         /  '^'  ""'  1"'""^  in 
•     '*P*  •""  '""'"dmble  portions  of  C 


HO 


INDIANA. 


prairas,  which  in  the  centre  and  to  tli^  northwest  in  va- 
rious places,  are  spread  out  extensively.  The  surface  in 
this  part  of  the  tract  is  delightfully  variegated  by  gentle 
undulations. 

At  the  northeast,  although  the  lands  will  make  valua- 
ble plantations,  the  surface  over  a  considerable  part,  ap- 
proaches too  near,  perhaps,  a  perfect  champaign  to  em- 
brace all  the  conveniences  of  tlie  best  agricultural  situa- 
tions. The  soil  is,  however,  strong  and  durable,  well 
adapted  to  wheat  and  meadow  grasses.  The  prevailing 
growth  here  is  beech,  although  there  be  considerable  sugar 
maple  and  other  forest  trees  that  indicate  a  rich  soil. 
The  infrequency  of  running  streams,  and  the  level  sur- 
face in  the  northeast,  cause  a  scarcity  of  good  mill  seats. 

The  lands  bordering  on  the  waters  of  the  White  river 
and  its  tributary  streams  are  considered  among  those  of 
the  best  quality,  excepting  a  strip  of  about  30  miles 
by  15,  laying  near  the  west  branch,  which  being  low, 
marshy,  and  occasionally  overflowed,  is  unfavorable  to 
health*  Much  of  this  tract,  not  excepted,  is  delightfully 
situated,  and  the  surface  consisting  of  gentle  undula- 
tions, supplied  with  good  water,  and  variegated  with  nu- 
merous, small,  rich,  dry  prairas. 

An  extensive  tract,  bordering  on  the  waters  of  tlic 
Tippacanoe  and  the  two  Vermillion  and  Eel  rivers,  are 
lands  of  superior  quality,  and  not  excelled  for  fertility 
by  any  in  the  state.  The  northern  position  of  these 
lands,  will  afford  a  climate  favorable  to  the  health  of 
emigrants  not  habituated  to  southern  latitudes. 

The  productions  of  Indiana  in  coi  n,  wheat,  rye,  barley, 
oats,  beans,  peas,  Irish,  sweet  potatoes,  and  garden  vege- 
tables of  every  description,  are  abundant.  In  some 
parts  of  the  statCi  where  the  soil  consists  of  a  saiul; 


INDIANA. 


Ill 


loam,  certain  species  of  the  wine  grape,  particularly  the 
grape  of  Gooil  Hope,  and  cotton,  have  flourished.  It  is 
presumed  that  upland  rice  would  succeed  well  in  this 
soil,  as  it  has  been  known  to  flourish  within  the  state  of 
Kentucky,  in  the  same  latitude.  Farming  is  conducted 
on  a  large  scale  in  the  Wabash  country  for  several  miles 
around  Vincenues  and  fort  Harrison,  where  the  8oll  is 
exceedingly  productive.  Within  this  region,  single  farm-- 
ers  have  raised,  in  one  year,  from  4,000  to  10,000  bushels 
of  com,  and  various  kinds  of  small  grain.  Th»  soil  in 
these  places  is  of  a  deep,  rich,  dark  gray,  sandy  loam, 
which  is  ploughed  easily,  and  resists  the  effects  of 
drought  and  drenching  rains.  It  has  proved  so  inex- 
haustible by  cropping  without  manure,  tliat  the  same 
corn  fields  have  been  planted  for  more  than  half  a  century 
in  constant  succession  without  a  perceivable  diminution 
of  crops. 

The  population  of  Indiana  has,  perhaps,  experienced 
a  more  ra{Hd  increase  than  any  state  in  the  union.  At 
the  census  in  1810,  it  contained  only  24,520  inhabitants, 
exclusive  of  Indians.  In  the  tenitorial  census  of  1815, 
the  number  returned  to  Congress,  as  a  prerequisite  to 
the  formation  of  a  state,  was  67,784.  At  this  period, 
August  1819,  it  is  confidently  believed,  that  165,000 
would  not  be  an  exa^erated  estimate.  Since  the  census 
of  1815,  the  number  of  countitj  have  more  than'dtMibled, 
although  until  the  late  purchase  in  1818,  nearly  >two* 
thirds  of  the  extent  of  territory  was  in  the  possession  of 
the  Indians. 

The  several  counties  to  which  the  number  of  inhabit- 
ants is  not  annexed,  have  been  formed  since  1815 — the 
other  coantieB  show,  in  the  second  column,  the  number  of 
inhabitants  they  respectively  contained,  at  that  time— 


mmm 


r2 


mDIANA. 


the  third  column  presents  the  names  of  the  towns  in 
which  are  the  seats  of  justice  for  the  counties  to  whicli 
they  are  annexed. 


Counties. 

Vopulation, 

Chief  Towns. 

Clark 

7,000 

Charleston 

Crawford 

Mount  Sterling 

Dearborn 

4»426 

liawrenceburgh 

Davie  s 

Washington 

Dubois 

Franklin 

r,970 

Brookvillc 

Fayettft 

Connersville 

Floyd 

New-Albany 

Gibson 

5,330 

Princeton 

Harrison 

6,769 

Corydon 

Jackson 

Brownstown 

j               Jefferson 

4,093 

Madison 

\               Jennings 

Vernon 

i               Knox 

6,800 

Vincennes 

1              La^  V 1  ence 

Palestine 

1              MouroG 

1              Orange 

Paoli 

1               Perr} 

3,000 

Franklin 

Posey 

3,00« 

Harmony 

Randolph 

*■ 

Ripley 

Versailles 

1              Spencer 

Rockport 

wr           Sullivan 
fc|            Switzerland 

Merom 

5,500 

Vevay 

1              Vandeburgh 

Evansville 

1              Warwick 

6,606 

Boonsborough 

1              Washington 

3,000 

Salem 

fc            Wayne 

6.290 

Centreville 

INDIANA. 


113 


Of  the  chief  towns  in  this  state,  the  progress  of  improve- 
ments and  population,  render  an  adequate  description 
very  difficult.  We  will,  however,  endeavour  to  give 
such  sketches  as  will  present  to  enquirers  a  tolerable 
view  of  the  towns  most  considerable,  and  of  the  coun- 
try surrounding  them. 

Salisbury,  formerly  the  county  seat  of  Wayne,  situ- 
ated on  ahead  branch  of  Whitewater  river,  is  but  two 
miles  eastwardly  of  Centreville,  the  latter  place  consist- 
ing of  a  few  cabbins  in  the  woods,  where  the  courts  are 
nowholden.  Concerning  the  seat  of  justice  for  this  coun- 
ty, a  great  interest  has  been  excited  among  the  citizens ; 
and  on  application  to  the  legislature,  commissioner's  have 
been  appointed  to  designate  the  spot  for  a  permanent 
establishment.  Two  expensive  brick  court  houses,  have 
already  been  erected,  one  at  Salisbury,  and  the  other  at 
Centreville,  not  more  than  two  miles  apart.  The  land 
surrounding  Salisbury  and  Centreville,  and  indeed,  the 
whole  county  of  Wayne,  is  one  of  the  most  valuable 
tracts  for  cultivation  in  the  state.  The  surface  in  some 
parts  is  too  flat  and  wet,  but  mostly  gently  waving,  the 
soil  strong  and  durable,  covered  with  stately  forest  trees, 
finely  watered  by  the  head  branches  of  the  Whitewater, 
which  furnishes  divers  valuable  mill  seats.  Many  of  the 
settlers  are  from  North  Carolina,  whose  improvements 
have  formed  lai^e  and  valuable  plantations. 

Brookville,  the  county  seat  of  Franklin,  stands  upon 
a  narrow  elevated  plain,  in  the  forks  of  Whitewater.  A 
considerable  part  of  the  town,  however,  is  built  on  the 
margin  of  the  East  Fork,  65  or  70  feet  lower  than  the 
upper  bottom.  The  situation  is  pleasant  and  romantic, 
exhibiting  the  variegated  prospect  of  the  meanderings  of 
the  streams,  and  of  hills  topped  with  forest  treed  on  either 

Kg 


114 


IKDIANA. 


i 


side,  cultivated  farms  and  water  mills.  This  town, 
which  did  not  contain  20  dwelling  houses  at  the  close 
of  the  late  war,  now,  (1819)  exceeds  the  number  of  one 
hundred,  besides  several  stores,  mechanic  shops,  &c. 
Within  the  limits  of  the  town  are  two  grist  and  two  saw 
mills,  three  fulling  mills,  and  three  carding  machines. 
There  arc  a  neat  brick  court  house,  a  jail,  and  a  market 
house.  Distance  from  Cincinnati,  north  west,  42  miles. 
Tlie  county  of  Franklin  contains  excellent  bottom  lands 
on  the'  margin  of  the  two  Whitewater  forks ;  and  the 
uplands  arc  generally  covered  with  a  good  soil,  and  well 
timbered. 

Laicrenceburgh,  the  seat  of  justice  for  tlie  county  of 
Dearborn,  stands  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Ohio,  23  miles 
from  Cincinnati,  and  two  below  the  mouth  of  the  Great 
Miami.  The  situation  of  this  town  is  very  pleasant,  being 
on  a  spacious  plain,  which  commands  a  view  of  the  river, 
surrounded  by  extensive  rich  bottom  lands.  The  spot 
occupied  by  the  toWn,  is  the  nearest  convenient  site  on 
the  Ohio  west  of  the  Miami.  But  it  is  subject  to  inun- 
dation by  extraordinary  freshets  ;  the  largest  of  which 
has  covered  Main,  the  highest  street,  four  feet  deep.  But 
this  street  is  now  raised  above  the  highest  freshets,  and 
the  principal  buildings  are  elevated  above  the  street.  On 
an  average,  the  town  is  flooded  not  more  than  once  in 
three  or  four  years. — But  as  the  inhabitants  are  familiar 
with  the  occurrence,  they  are  prepai*ed ;  they  anchor 
their  fencBs  with  little  trouble,  so  as  to  secure  them  from 
floating ;  their  upper  rooms  ~eceive  the  contents  of  their 
cellars,  their  cattle  and  hogs  are  driven  to  high  giounds ; 
thus  prepared,  they  await  the  overflowing  and  the  reces- 
sion of  the  waters,  as  unconcerned  as  did  the  family  of 
Ncah  the  grea,t  deluge.     The  highest  floods  rarely  con- 


INDIANA. 


110 


tinuc  more  than  eight  or  ten  days.  As  no  stagnant  pools 
remain,  the  flooding  of  the  town  is  followed  by  no  injury 
to  health,  and  by  much  less  inconvenience  to  the  inhabi- 
tants, than  can  be  imagined  by  strangers.  The  preced- 
ing remarks  apply  only  to  Old  Lawrenceburgh  ;  for 
New-La wrenc  dbui^h,  so  called,  within  the  limits  of  the 
same  town,  about  100  rods  from  the  old  settlement,  is 
never  overflowed.  The  latter  is  a  handsome  site,  bound- 
ed by  Tanner's  creek  on  the  west,  which  joins  the  Ohio 
a  mile  below,  and. is  navigable  to  the  new  town.  It  coh- 
tains  a  number  of  large,  elegant  houses,  built  with  brick, 
a  large  grist  and  saw  mill,  driven  by  four  oxen,  on  an 
inclined  plane  wheel,  a  spacious  cotton  factory,  driven  by 
the  same  power,  besides  mechanic  shops  and  other  build- 
ings, all  erected  within  two  years.  This  site,  by  itself, 
which  is  to  be  connected  with  the  old  town  by  a  high 
street  above  the  flooding  waters,  is  spacious  enough  for 
a  pretty  large  town.  Lawrenceburgh,  from  its  first  set- 
tlement, till  within  two  or  three  of  the  last  years,  has 
progressed  very  slowly.  Nothing  could  have  so  long 
retarded  the  prosperity  of  this  delightful  situation,  which 
nature  seemed  to  have  designed  for  a  centre  of  much 
business,  but  the  dreadful  apprehensions  which  emigrants 
entertain  of  the  evils  of  overflowing  waters.  It  is  the 
nearest  point  to  the  river  for  an  immense  tract  of  inte- 
rior good  land,  and  yet  unsettled,  in  the  most  convenient 
outlet  for  the  produce  of  the  great  Whitewater  countiy, 
and  is  the  natural  place  of  deposite  for  staple  commodi- 
ties which  float  down  the  Big  Miami.  The  evils  con- 
templated fi  om  occasional  overflowing,  the  old  settlers 
have  founa  more  imaginary  "^han  real. 

There  is  no  place  on  the  banks  of  the  (ttiio,  perhaps, 
where  better  water  is  found  or  mwe  perfect  health  en- 


116 


INDIANA. 


joyed,  than  at  Lawrenceburgh.  Nor  is  there  any  town 
in  ^he  state,  we  presume,  which  has  flourished  more 
within  two  or  three  of  the  last  years ;  many  neat  brick 
houses  and  stores  have  lately  been  erected,  both  in  the 
old  and  new  town ;  some  of  which  are  nearly  as  spaci- 
ous and  elegant  as  any  in  the  western  country.  Mer- 
chants and  mechanics  of  various  descriptions  have  met 
with  encouragement.  The  town  has,  within  30  months, 
doubled  its  population,  which,  at  this  time  (August  1819) 
may  be  estimated  at  about  700.  Beside  the  Big  Miami 
and  Whitewater,  seven  considerable  streams  traverse 
the  county  of  Dearborn,  all  eniptying  into  the  Ohio,  with- 
in the  county,  which  borders  on  tlmt  river  not  exceeding 
17  miles.  The  most  of  these  streams,  including  the 
Ohio,  have  spacious  margins  of  bottom  lands.  The  face 
of  the  country  bordering  on  the  Ohio,  however,  for  some 
miles  in  width,  has  spread  over  it  many  abrupt  hills, 
which  as  well  as  the  vallies,  are  covered  by  a  deep  rich 
soil.  But  as  we  recede  some  distance  back  from  the 
creeks,  the  surface  becomes  sufficiently  level.  In  the 
northern  part  of  the  county  are  large  tracts,  of  which 
the  prevailing  growth  is  oak  of  divers  species.  These 
lands,  though  the  appearance  be  rather  forbidding  to  a 
stranger,  prove  very  productive  in  wheat,  grass  and  most 
other  crops,  common  to  the  country. 

There  appears  a  considerable  propensity  in  the  people 
of  Dearborn  county  to  the  formation  of  towns,  there  be- 
ing 12  or  13  already  laid  off.  Oui  limits  will  permit  us 
to  notice  some  of  the  principal  only. 

Harrison  is  a  pleasant  little  village  on  the  Whitewa* 
tcr,  about  14  miles  northeast  of  Lawrenceburgh  ;  the 
main  street  being  the  boundary  line  between  the  states 
Indiana  and  Ohio.    It  would  seem  from  the  numerous 


vei 


ughry 


INDIANA. 


117 


tumuli  and  places  of  ancient  Hepulture,  that  this  plain, 
centuries  ago,  was  covered  by  the  habitations  of  men.— 
The  town  which  contains  a  considerable  number  of  neat 
dwelling  houses,  is  surrounded  by  a  tract  of  excellent 
land,  on  which  are  many  handsome  plantations. 

Ilardensbiirgh,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Great  Miami, 
two  miles  from  its  mouth,  occupies  a  handsome  site,  and 
contains  about  50  houses,  seven  or  eight  of  which  art 
decent  brick  buildings. 

Aurora,  at  the  mouth  of  Hogan  creek,  on  the  west 
bank  of  that  stream,  four  miles  below  Lawrenceburgh, 
and  nine  above  Rising  Sun,  was  laid  oft"  by  20  proprietors 
in  1818.  About  40  frames,  for  dwelling  houses  and 
stores,  were  erected  on  donation  lots,  before  any  of  th« 
others  were  oifered  for  sale.  This  town  has  a  fine  pros- 
pect of  the  meanderings  of  the  creek  and  the  river  ;  and 
is  accommodated  witli  as  good  a  harbor  for  boats,  as  any 
place  between  Pittsburgh  and  the  Mississippi ;  a  strong 
eddy  from  the  Ohio  putting  into  the  creek,  which  exceeds 
!  5  feet  in  depth  at  all  stages  of  water. 

Rising  SuTit  13  miles  below  Lawrenceburgh,  forms  one 
of  the  most  delightful  situations  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio. 
It  is  surrounded  by  a  spacious  tract  of  rich  bottom,  and 
occupies  a  gentle,  gradual  descent,  that  commands  a  com- 
plete prospect  of  the  river  ;  between  which  and  the  front 
row  of  houses,  is  a  broad  street  more  than  150  rods  in 
length.  This  town  contains  more  than  100  houses,  and 
affords  employment  for  several  traders,  taverns,  and  a 
number  of  industrious  mechanics. 

Wilmington,  a  small  village,  stands  on  a  high  hill, 
about  equidistant  from  the  East  and  West  Forks  of 
Hogan. 

Hanover  is  a  little  village  two  miles  abore  the  mouth 
of  Laughry ;  the  houses  are  mostly  cabbins. 


118 


INDIANA. 


Hartford,  about  five  or  six  miles  from  the  Ohio,  is  a 
flourishing  village  on  Laughry  creek,  containing  50  or  60 
hoi'ses. 

Vevay,  the  county  seat  of  Switzerland,  situated  eight 
mrles  above  the  mouth  of  Kentucky  river,  on  the  Ohio, 
45  below  Cincinnati,  is  a  pleasant  flourishing  town,  con- 
taining 190  houses,  a  decent  brick  court  house,  a  jail, 
printing  office,  a  large  distillery,  several  taverns  and  me« 
chanic  shops.  A  branch  of  the  bank  of  Indiana  is  estab- 
lished here.  It  was  commenced  in  1814,  within  the  tract 
granted  by  the  United  States,  to  about  30  Swiss  families 
in  1804;  who  began  their  settlements,  near  the  place 
where  the  town  now  stands,  in  the  following  year.  This 
land  was  obtained  from  government  on  an  extended 
credit,  for  the  purpose  of  encouraging  the  cultivation  of 
the  grape  vine  ;  in  which  employment  the  Swiss  have 
been  more  successful,  it  is  presumed,  than  any  attempt 
on  a  large  scale,  within  the  United  States.  In  1815, 
about  100  hogsheads  of  wine  were  produced  from  all  th« 
vineyards ;  some  of  which  belonging  to  individuals,  have 
lingly  grown  grapes  latterly,  sufficient  to  make  lOOO 
gallons  of  wine.  The  Madeira  and  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  have  flourished  better  than  any  other  species  which 
have  been  tried.  The  vines  of  each  grow  well,  but  tht 
Cape  being  much  less  liable  to  be  injured  by  early  frost, 
is  the  least  precarious  and  the  most  productive.  This 
wine  is  wholesome,  and  not  unpalatable.  It  is  preserved 
through  the  summer  months  without  distilled  spirits,  and 
grows  b«»tter  by  age. 

Madison,  on  the  second  bottom  of  the  bank  of  the  Ohio, 
is  the  county  seat  of  Jeflferson.  This  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  and  flourishing  towns  in  the  state ;  was  com- 
menced 1811 ;  in  February,  1819,  contained  8S1  inhabi- 


INDIANA. 


119 


tarits*  123  dwelling  houses,  besides  stores,  mechanic 
shops,  &c.  Has  a  court  hcuse  and  jail,  and  a  banking 
establishment.  This  town  derives  an  importance  from 
Its  central  position,  by  standing  in  one  of  the  most  north- 
pily  bends  of  the  Ohio ;  thereby  presenting  one  of  the 
nearest  points  of  Ohio  navigation  to  that  extensive  body 
of  rich  land,  at  and  around  the  Delaware  towns,  which 
yet  remains  uncultivated.  The  town  is,  except  on  the 
river  board,  surrounded  by  ru^ed,  high  hills,  which 
offer  a  steep  and  laborious  ascent  for  a  loaded  team. 

JVew-LexingtoYit  16  miles  west  of  Madison,  contains 
about  50  houses,  and  is  in  the  vicinity  of  an  extensive 
tract  of  good  land. 

JS^eW'Londorif  10  miles  below  Madison,  on  the  Ohio, 
is  formed  by  nature  for  one  of  the  most  pleasant  situa- 
tions on  that  river  ;  presenting  a  gradual  and  gentle 
descent  for  150  rods  back  from  the  river,  the  position  of 
the  ground  alFording  a  most  excellent  route  for  a  good 
road  to  the  back  country,  and  exhibiting  from  a  distance, 
a  charming  view  of  the  broad  expanse  of  the  Ohio. 

Charlestotvn,  the  county  seat  of  Clark,  i3  situated  two 
miles  from  the  Ohio,  29  miles  south  of  west  from  Madi- 
son, and  14  miles  above  the  Falls.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
flourishing  and  neatly  built  towns  in  the  state ;  contains 
about  160  houses,  cliie^y  of  brick,  a  handsomfi  court 
house,  and  is  inhaUted  b]r  an  industrious  class  cf  citizens. 
There  are  numerous  plantations  around  this  town,  con- 
sisting of  good  land,  and  better  cultivated,  perhaps,  than 
any  in  the  state.  This  tract  is  within  the  grant  made 
by  the  state  of  Virginia,  to  the  brave  soldiers,  who,  un- 
der the  celebrated  general  Clark,  in  the  revolutionary 
war,  by  conquering  the  British  troops  and  their  savage 
allies,  subjected  the  western  country  to  the  juriidiction 


ISO 


INDIANA. 


©f  the  United  St?.tes.  A  large  portion  of  the  Grant,  so 
called,  containing  many  thousand  acres,  is  covered  with 
a  heavy  growth  of  beecii  timber,  considerably  intermixed 
with  sugar  maple,  and  divers  other  speeies  of  trees. — 
The  soil  is  very  productive  in  fruit  trees,  wheat,  and 
English  grasses. 

Jeffersonville  stands  just  above  the  Falls,  on  the  west 
bank  of  the  Ohio.  The  noise,  and  the  sight  of  the  waters 
tumbling  over  the  precipices  beltst^,  together  with  a  view 
of  the  town  of  Louisville,  on  the  opposite  shore,  present 
a  scenery  at  once  variegated,  romantic,  picturesque  and 
grand.  The  town  is  built  on  the  second  bottom,  above 
the  highest  floods,  affording  a  complete  view  of  the  river. 
The  nonresidence  of  the  proprietors  (of  whom  many  are 
minors)  of  town  lots  and  of  the  adjacent  country,  has 
hitherto  much  checked  the  prosperity  of  this  delightful 
spot.  Of  the  buildings,  which  are  not  very  numerous, 
some  are  designed  and  executed  in  a  neat  and  elegant 
style,  particularly  the  mansion  which  was  the  residence 
of  the  late  Gov.  Posey.  A  land  office,  a  post  office  and 
a  printing  office  a^e  established  in  this  to\  n. 

A  canal  is  projected,  to  commence  a  few  rods  east  of 
Jeffersonville,  at  the  mouth  of  a  ravine,  thence  through 
the  back  lots  of  the  town,  terminating  at  an  eddy,  at  the 
foot  of  the  rapids,  by  the  town  of  Clarksville.  To  effect 
this  purpose,  the  legislature  of  Indiana,  in  January  1818, 
incorporated  the  Jeffersonville  Ohio  Canal  Company,  with 
a  capital  of  g  1,000,000 ;  and  granted  them  permission  to 
raise  glOO,000  by  lottery.  In  May,  1819,  a  survey  and 
location  having  been  previously  made,  the  excavation  was 
commenced,  and  continues  to  be  prosecuted  with  spirit, 
and  the  fairest  prospects  of  success.  The  extent  of  this 
canal  will  be  2if  mik3 ;  the  average  depth  45  feet ;  width 


INDIANA. 


ISi 


;  west 
waters 
a  vievr 
»resent 
ue  and 
,  above 
B  river, 
my  are 
:ry,  has 
Ughtful 
merous, 
elegant 
sidence 
ice  and 


at  top  100,  and  at  bottom  50  feet.  Except  one-fourth  of 
a  mile  at  the  upper  end,  there  is  a  bed  of  rock  to  be  cut 
through,  10  or  12  feet  deep.  The  charter,  which  expires 
in  1899,  requires  that  the  canal  should  be  completed  be- 
fore the  end  of  the  year  1824.  The  perpendicular  height 
in  the  whole  extent  of  the  falls  being  about  23  feet,  the 
anal  is  expected  to  furnish  excellent  mill  seats,  and  a 
water  power  sufficient  to  drive  machinery  for  very  ex- 
tensive manufacturing  establishments. 

In  navigating  the  Ohio,  the  saving  of  time,  expence, 
nnd  waste  of  property,  by  means  of  a  canal,  to  a  great 
extent  above  the  falls,  is  incalculable.  It  has  been  esti- 
mated, that  Cincinnati  alone,  for  several  years  past,  has 
paid  an  extraordinary  expence  for  transporting  goods 
around  the  falls,  exceeding  g50,000.  The  several  states 
bordering  on  the  river  above,  are  each  interested  in  the 
success  of  this  great  undertaking,  and  it  is  presumed  they 
will  liberally  contribute  their  aid  to  perfect  it.  The  ter- 
ritory and  population  to  be  benefitted  by  this  work,  is  so 
extensive,  strong  hopes  have  been  entertained  that  some 
adequate  provision  will  be  made  by  the  general  govern- 
ment. Capital  cannot,  perhaps,  at  the  present  day,  be 
vested  in  any  public  funds  that  will  yield  a  more  produc- 
tive regular  income,  than  in  this  establishment. 

^ew-Mlanyy  the  seat  of  justice  for  Floyd  county,  is 
\\  miles  below  JefFersonville,  on  the  bank  of  the  Ohio,  on 
an  extensive  plain  of  rich  bottom  lands.  From  the  first 
settlement  of  this  town,  its  progress  was  rather  slow,  until 
within  two  or  three  of  the  last  years  ;  since  which  period 
it  has  flourished  greatly.  The  front  street  is  more  than 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  in  length ;  the  number  of  houses, 
of  which  several  are  spacious  and  elegant,  are  supposed 
to  exceed  :i  90 ;  a  steam  grist  and  saw  mill,  each  of  which 


1S3 


INDIANA. 


r\\ 


perform  extensive  business,  are  a  great  advantage  to  the 
town  and  surrounding  country.  A  spirit  of  enterprise 
and  industry  seems  generally  to  animate  the  inhabitants, 
and  to  exhibit  the  appearance  of  a  brisk,  business-doing 
place.  Floyd  was  erected  into  a  county  in  the  winter  of 
1818,  out  of  the  counties  of  Clark  and  Harrison. 

Corydon,  the  ser.c  of  justice  for  the  county  of  Harri- 
son, is  also  the  present  capital  of  the  state,  the  constitu- 
tion having  appointed  it  the  stat  of  legislation  until  1825. 
Distant  from  New- Albany,  nortinvest,  21  miles ;  from  the 
nearest  point  of  the  Ohio,  about  13 — lays  between  the 
forks  of  Indian  creek,  at  their  junction — is  surrounded 
by  elevated  ground,  of  gentle  ascent — contains  8  or  IQ 
neat  buildings,  beside  many  others  which  are  ordinary ; 
a  spacious  court  house  of  stone,  which  is  occupied  by  the 
legislature  during  their  session.  The  supreme  court  is 
holden  at  this  place,  exclusively. 

A  few  miles  from  the  town,  north,  northeast  and  north- 
west, an  extensive  tract  of  land,  called  the  barrens^  com- 
mences, and  spreads  out  in  divers  directions,  in  some 
points  several  miles — the  surface  commonly  undulating 
•—occasionally  are  deep  sink  holes,  resembling  half-filled 
wells— the  growth  is  scattering,  small  oak  shrubs,  with 
here  and  there  small  clumps  of  oak  trees,  of  a  moderate 
size ;  a  coarse,  short,  wild  grass,  grateful  to  cattle  and 
sheep,  overspreads  the  ground ;  the  soil  in  some  parts 
thin  and  sterile,  but  generally  productive  of  good  cro])S 
of  corn,  small  grain,  clover  and  timothy.  The  region  of 
these  barrens  is  remarkable  for  caverns,  some  of  which 
are  spacious,  from  five  to  fifty  feet  in  height  from  the 
flooring ;  the  bottom,  roof  and  walls  of  flat  limestcne— - 
the  latter  often  as  perpendicular  as  the  walls  of  a  room. 
It  is  not  uncommon  to  find  streams  large  enough  to  drif  e 


-.  -1^ 


INDIANA. 


123 


ft  mill  briskly,  pouring  their  waters  over  the  bottoms  of 
these  caves.  Small  oaks,  of  a  tolerable  height,  as  thinly 
scattered  as  the  apple  trees  in  an  orchard,  usually  com- 
mence at  the  termination  of  the  barrens^  and  extend  for 
a  good  distance,  sometimes  for  tlie  space  of  two  or  three 
miles.  This  description,  it  is  conceived,  will  apply  to 
most  of  the  barrens  in  the  state. 

After  the  constitutional  term  expires,  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment will  be  removed  from  Corydon  into  tiie  interior, 
probably  on  or  near  the  West  Fork  of  Whiteriver,  within 
the  late  purchase— Congress  having  granted  to  the  state 
four  square  miles,  for  a  permanent  se?.t  of  legislation,  to 
be  selected  by  the  state  from  the  public  lands.  Fixing 
the  temporary  seat  of  government  at  Corydon  has  not 
80  much  contributed  to  the  prosperity  of  the  town  as  wa» 
expected.  Being  without  any  water  communication  with 
the  Ohio,  one  and  the  nearest  of  the  great  high  ways  of 
the  west,  Corydon  is  unfortunately  located  within  that 
grade  of  distance  from  navigable  water — where  towns 
have  never  been  known  to  flourish  in  this  country — not 
so  near  as  to  enjoy  t!ie  advantage  of  a  river  market,  and 
not  distant  enough  to  obtain  the  country  custom.  Tlie 
natural  situation  of  the  place,  however,  presents  a  scenery 
that  attracts  the  attention  of  a  stranger — a  level  bottom, 
encompassed  by  two  fine  never  failing  streams  of  water, 
and  surrounded  by  high  grounds,  gradually  rising  like 
an  amphitheatre. 

Salenif  the  capital  of  Washington  county,  a  new  but 
flourishing  town,  34  miles  north  of  Corydon,  and  25  north 
west  of  Jeffersonville,  stands  on  a  small  branch  of  Blue 
river,  and  contains  a  decent  court  house,  of  brick,  80  of 
90  houses,  some  of  which-  are  neat  buildings.  Around 
this  town  is  an  extensive  tract  of  land,  of  a  superioi- 


'  n 


iM 


INDIANA. 


quality,  covered  with  a  thick  growth  of  stately  forest 
trees. 

Brownstown,  the  seat  of  justice  for  the  county  of  Jack* 
«on,  25  miles  north  of  Salem,  is  situated  near  the  eastern 
branch  of  Whiteriver,  on  the  eastern  side,  a  short  distance 
from  the  boundary  line  of  the  late  purchase.  The  soil 
around  Brownstown  consists  of  a  gray  sandy  loam ;  it 
is  -very  friable,  and  not  liable  to  bake  and  harden  by  the 
heat  of  tiie  sun.  This  spot  appears  to  be  without  the 
limits  of  the  calcareous  region— on  a  strip  of  land  from 
two  to  five  miles  in  width,  and  from  eight  to  fifteen  in 
length,  scarcely  any  limestone  arc  to  be  found.  Within 
a  mile  of  the  town  are  large  quantities  of  iron  oie,  tlie 
best  which  has  been  discovered  in  the  state.  This  town 
was  laid  off  in  the  midst  of  the  forest,  only  three  or  four 
years  ago,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  houses  are  cabbins. 

Paolif  the  county  scat  of  Orange,  is  about  70  miles 
eastwardly  of  Vincennes,  and  40  northwest  of  Jefferson- 
ville,  near  the  centre  of  a  large  tract  of  valuable  lands. 
The  place  whore  the  town  stands,  but  three  or  four  years 
ago,  was  covered  witli  large  forest  trees. 

Fredonla,  a  post  town  in  the  county  of  Crawford,  42 
miles  below  the  Falls,  is  situated  in  the  great  Horse-shoe 
Bend,  on  an  elevated  plain,  commanding  an  extensive 
antl  romantic  prospect  of  tlie  Ohio.  A  convenient  pas- 
sage way  is  opened  by  nature,  through  the  rocks,  to  the 
river ;  which  is  here  very  bold  on  the  western  shore,  form- 
ing a  fine  eddy.  Between  the  town  and  the  river  are 
a  series  of  horizontal  benches,  terminating  next  the  town 
in  solid,  perpendicular  rock,  where  vines  and  fruit  trees 
might  be  cultivated.  There  is  a  spring  of  good  water 
near  the  centre  of  the  town.  In  the  ledges  near  the  town, 
are  abundance  of  good  free  stone.    The  town  occupies 


Ifcfci^ 


iS3 


INDIANA.  . 

convenient  accessibfe  pa 'nolltlf  '"  '"  ""^  "^''^"t 
e.xtont  of  counh-v  round     ?;  """S'^e  waters  for  a  great 

;'-  conntr,  on  eL.  ^JtjZ"7  '""  '''  ^^^  "' 
favorable  for  much  travel  ar,.     r      '     '  """r '"'les,  is 
-".em  states  into  t  ett    "r'  ^J'J^^/and  the 
'\v.ng  about  th.  centre  of  tZ  '''""'•    '^'''«  *<»vn 

^'^''  to  be  as  near  a  ^t  a, "„?"' ".'^  '"^  "^"•'  '^  -PP- 
-'•■•ch  ma^  be  locat  .1  for  1  /.  ""  *"  *"'  *°  *''«  ^ 
■•"="'•    It  is  believed  ttt  forT'":"*  '"="'  ''^e'"'^™- 
«Pot  on  the  riverunifes  so  man       T  ^"  ""^^  "»  otl'er 
"  t»'vn.    The  settlement  ,^7  "'*""'  conveniences  for 
the  fall  of  1818.  ''*  "'"'  "»t  commenced  „nti[ 

I^venworthviUe  aho„» ,     ■,    . 

»-  town  in  Crawfo  din;:      tl  *'"«  "■-•'  -  « 
containing  a  few  houses         ^'    "  '^^  ^'"'^  "^  the  Ohio. 

fc«.W.„..  the  county  seat  f„.r      . 
ted  in  the  woods,  and  contain,  1  ''*''''^»''''' '«  l«ca. 

-ght  miles  northwest  of  FrZH        '""''*"'  '*  "  ">«•" 

'"-^rrr^V^-'-^-^avies  count,,  i. 
"-tb.and  lefromThellrr^^'  '  ""''«='  '■™-»^  e 
centre  of  a  large  bod,  of  elSf  7I'"<'"^«'' '"  «- 
fo*s  of  the  river;  its  beL^  1  '  ^  "« ''"'"■"  "w 

-vigable  «treams,;ffoL^;4  ;; '"^-ccted  "^  those 
f'e  produce  of  the  count'^wtrh  T '"^"P»'t'ng 
">»n, small  streams  of  gS  I,  "  T"  '"■'PP'-'^d  «ith 
'"eral  rich  prairas.      ^       "^''*"' "'«'  «terspersed  with 

«'«'^Z:SteT£tr'^^^«  Wabash,  called 

-tural  situation  is  y^l^^^^TT  "I  ""•"•''•    T'- 

J-  P'^Mnt,  near  large  bodies  of 


1S6 


INDIANA. 


etone  coal.  It  is  the  seat  of  justice  for  Sullivan  countj, 
which  consists  of  a  beautiful,  fertile,  well  watered  tract 
of  country,  through  which  flows  for  a  considerable  extent, 
the  waters  of  the  Wabash.  Here  are  spacious  prairas  of 
the  first  quality,  and  a  number  of  very  large,  productive 
plantations.  Among  the  prairas  are  included  the  Honey 
creek.  Fort  Harrison  and  Praira  creek  prairas,  all  which 
present  a  most  delightful  scenery ;  the  surface  admitting 
of  excellent  roads,  at  all  seasons  of  tlieyear,  and  the  soil 
equal  to  any  portion  of  the  western  country.  These  na- 
tural advantages  have  spefedily  produced  an  influx  of 
population,  and  a  degree  of  improvement,  whicli  has  been 
rarely  equalled  u  the  west. 

Terre  Haute,  within  the  same  county,  about  two  miles 
below  fort  Harrison,  is  delightfully  situated  on  a  high 
bank  of  the  Wabash,  with  a  gradual  descent  to  the  river, 
along  which  extends  a  skirt  of  woodland  near  a  mile  in 
width.  It  was  laid  out  in  1816,  and  is  rapidly  iacreasing 
its  population  and  extending  its  improvements. 

Shakertown,  settled  by  that  industrious  class  of  people 
called  Shakers,  lays  at  the  lower  end  of  the  county,  near 
the  mouth  of  the  Busseron,  15  miles  above  Vincennes. 

VincenneSf  the  earliest  settlement  between  Kaskaskia 
and  Pittsburgh,  is  pleasantly  situated  on  the  west  bank 
of  the  Wabash,  being  the  seat  of  justice  for  the  county  of 
Knox,  and  formerly  the  seat  of  legislation  for  the  terri- 
tory of  Indiana.  It  was  settled  by  French  emigrants  in 
17S5,  who  in  the  remote  recesses  of  a  wilderness,  isola- 
ted from  the  civilized  world,  formerly  approximated  in 
manner  and  appearance  to  the  savage  tribes  around  them, 
having  scarcely  any  intercourse  with  other  people — they 
have,  however,  since  their  acquaintance  with  the  Ameri- 
cans) much  improved  their  condition,  and  among  them 


INDIANA. 


1:87 


may  now  be  found  intelligent  men,  wlio  have  resumed 
much  of  that  "rbanitj  of  manners  peculiar  to  Frenchmen. 

Vincennes,  by  the  serpentine  course  of  the  Wabash,  is 
distant  from  the  mouth  of  that  river  1 52  miles ;  while 
from  Evansville,  the  nearest  point  of  the  Ohio,  it  is  but  54. 
It  is  the  most  populous  town  in  the  state — and  altliough 
long  stationary,  from  causes  not  within  its  control,  it  is 
now,  under  the  fostering  care  of  a  free  government,  by 
the  accession  of  a  class  of  intelligent  and  enterprising 
inliabitants,  developing  its  natural  resources,  by  a  rapid 
increase  of  population,  and  an  *»xtension  of  various  im- 
portant branches  of  business.  Wm.  Fellows  &  Co.  have 
built  a  large  steam  grist  and  saw  mill,  and  are  erecting 
the  present  year  (1819)  twelve  spacious  brick  buildings. 
The  town  contains  about  300  dwelling  houses,  a  court 
house  of  brick,  a  jail,  a  specious  neat  brick  seminary,  two 
places  for  public  worship,  one  Presbyterian  and  one  Ro* 
man  Catholic,  a  public  land  office,  a  post  office,  a  bank« 
and  two  printing  offices. 

Princeton^  the  seat  of  justice  for  the  county  of  Gibson, 
35  miles  southerly  from  Vincennes,  is  a  flourishing  little 
town,  very  recently  commenced.  About  one  half  of  this 
county  consists  of  a  soil  remarkably  good ;  the  residue  is 
second  rate.  It  is  watered  by  the  Wabash  and  White 
rivers,  and  some  of  their  tributary  streams. 

Rockport,  so  named  from  its  being  situated  upon  a 
rock,  which  presents  a  high  bold  front  on  the  Ohio, 
commands  a  romantic  prospect  of  the  river.  This  town, 
which  is  but  just  commenced,  is  the  seat  of  justice  for 
Spencer,  one  of  the  best  counties  in  the  state. 

Evansmlle  stands  on  a  bend  in  the  Ohio,  at  the  mouth 
of  Big  Pigeon  creek,  54  miles  south  of  Vincennes,  and  45 
miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Wabash*    It  is  the  seat  of 


128 


INDIANA, 


justice  for  Vandebtirgh  county.  Tliis  town  is  in  tlie  vi- 
cinity of  a  large  tract  of  excellent  land,  and  acquires  an 
importance  from  being  the  nearest  and  most  convenieiit 
landing  for  emigrants  bound  up  the  Wubasli.  This  i^ 
considered  among  the  best  natural  situations  for  mer- 
cantile business  in  the  state. 

Harmony,  54  miles  below  Vinccnnes,  and  106  by  watoi- 
above  the  mouth  of  the  Wabash,  stands  on  the  bank  of 
that  river,  and  is  the  capital  of  Posey,  the  son  tii western 
county  of  the  state.  It  was  settled  in  1814,  by  a  religious 
sect  of  Germans,  denominated  Harmonists,  now  consist- 
ing of  nearly  800  inliabitants.  They  were  first  establislied 
about  20  miles  from  Pittsburgh,  whence  they  removed  to 
this  place,  where  they  possess  seveial  thousand  acres  ot' 
good  land,  in  a  body  ;  which  is  held  in  the  name  of  Geo. 
Rapp,  tlieir  head  man  and  religious  teaclier,  as  he  alleges, 
for  the  common  use  of  the  whole.  These  people  are  re- 
markable for  the  observance  of  the  rules  prescribed  by 
their  leader,  whom  they  call  father,  and  in  whose  name 
all  purchases  and  sales  are  made ;  they  are  remarkable 
for  their  regularity,  industry  and  skill  in  the  mechanic 
arts— are  cultivators  of  the  grape  vine,  and  manufacture 
several  kinds  of  excellent  cloths. 

Rivers  and  principal  streams. — The  Great  Miami, 
Ohio  and  Wabash  rivers,  which  constitute  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  boundary  lines  of  Indiana,  are  to  be  found 
described  in  our  preliminary  remarks.  The  meanderings 
of  the  Ohio  in  passing  the  width  of  the  state  (in  a  right 
line  but  155  miles)  are  reckoned  472  miles  in  extent. 

Whiteivater,  flowing  with  a  rapid  c  rrent  of  pure  wa- 
ter, generally  over  a  sandy,  pebbly  bottom,  draws  its  foun- 
tain from  two  chief  branches :  the  east  heading  near  Ohio 
western  boundary,  in  that  state,  a  few  miles  west  of 


INDIANA. 


1^ 


I  tlie  vi- 
aires  an 
ivenieiit 
Tills  i". 
or  mcr- 

ay  wator 

bank  ot 
iwestern 
religious 

consist- 
tablishi'd 
inoveil  to 

acres  ol" 
ic  of  Geo. 
e  alleges, 
le  are  re- 
iribcd  by 

se  name 
arkable 
echanic 

ufacture 

Miami, 

tiderable 

)e  found 

iderings 

a  right 

ktent. 

jure  wa- 

lits  foun- 

jar  Ohio 

Iwest  of 


Greenville ;  the  west  takes  its  origin  in  the  flat  lands,  3(1 
miles  west  of  Rrookville,  just  below  which  town  the  two 
branches  form  a  junction,  and  after  running;  about  fifty 
milcK  in  a  southerly  direction,  empty  into  the  Great 
Miami  4;^  miles  in  a  right  line  from  its  confluence  with 
the  Ohio. 

Next  below,  on  the  Ohio,  in  course  as  named,  are 
Tanner's,  Wilson's,  Hogan's  (the  two  main  branches  of 
^vhich  unite  within  one  hundred  rods  from  the  mouth,) 
Laugh ry's,  Arnold's  and  Grant's  creeks,  all  within  the 
county  of  Dearborn.  Indian  creek,  the  southern  boun- 
dary  of  the  Swiss  settlement,  is  seven  miles  above  the 
mouth  of  Kentucky  river.  Silver  creek  joins  the  Ohio 
a  short  distance  below  the  Falls.  Wyandot  is  equidistant 
from  the  Falls  and  Blue  river. 

The  Big  Blue  river,  after  meandering  50  miles  south- 
west, bends  to  the  east  of  south,  and  empties  into  the 
Ohio,  52  miles  below  the  mouth  of  Salt  river. 

Little  Blue  river  finds  its  source  in  the  hills  which 
skirt  the  Ohio,  and  forming  several  cascades,  the  decliv- 
ities of  which  furnish  convenient  mill  seats,  meets  the 
Ohio  about  12  miles  below  the  mouth  of  Big  Blue  river. 
Ten  miles  below  the  former  is  Sinking  creek. 

Jlndersoii^s  river,  60  miles  further  down,  is  the  largest 
stream  between  Blue  river  and  the  Wabash.  Piqua  and 
Beaver  creeks  join  the  Ohio  below.  Many  fine  streams 
of  water,  aftbrding  convenient  mill  seats,  intersect  the 
country  between  W^hite  river  and  the  Ohio. 

The  main  branch  of  the  Wabash  heads  two  miles  east 
of  fort  St.  Mary's,  in  Dark  county,  Ohio.  Of  the  three 
other  branches,  the  one  called  Little  river  heads  seven 
miles  south  of  fort  Wayne,  and  enters  the  Wabash  80 
luiles  below  St.  Mary's  portage.    The  east  is  the  Massis- 


i30 


INDIANA. 


tdniway,  heading  cquidiKtant  from  forts  Greenville  and 
Recovery,  and  reaches  tiie  Wabash  5  miles  below  the 
mouth  of  Little  river.  The  third  is  Eel  river,  issuing 
from  several  lakes  ami  ponds  18  miles  west  of  Fort 
Wayne,  and  joins  the  Wabash  eight  miles  below  the 
mouth  of  the  Massisinaway. 

The  whole  range  of  country  traversed  by  the  water  of 
the  Wabash,  is  remarkable  for  its  destitution  of  hills, 
and  prominences. 

Petokttf  a  small  river,  running  a  wevSt  course,  about 
75  miles  through  rich  bottom,  falls  into  the  Wabash, 
four  miles  below  White  river. 

White  River  meanders  nearly  across  the  state  south- 
westwardly,  supplying  with  water  and  fertilizing  a  large 
bwly  of  good  land»and  joins  the  Wabash  16  miles  below 
Vincennes ;  35  miles  above  the  mouth  the  two  principal 
branches  unite,  called  North  or  Driftwood-Fork,  and  the 
South  or  Muddy-Fork. 

Deehe  River  comes  into  the  Wabash  about  half  way 
between  Vincennes  and  the  mouth  of  White  river,  flow- 
ing from  the  north  east ;  it  is  a  rapid,  short  stream. 

Little  River i  in  a  serpentine  course  from  the  northeast 
over  wide  spread  bottoms,  flows  into  the  Wabash,  a  short 
distance  above  Vincennes.  Between  this  and  the  Deche, 
a  rich  bottom  expands  to  a  great  extent. 

St,  Marie  flows  from  the  north  east  60  miles,  joining 
the  Wabash  18  miles  above  Vincennes. 

Rocky  River,  60  miles  above  St.  Marie,  interweaving 
its  branches  with  those  of  the  main  fork  of  White  river, 
directs  its  course  to  the  Wabash — is  100  yards  wide  at 
its  mouth,  and  branches  into  several  forks. 

The  Fomim  meets  the  Wabash  about  100  rniles  above 
the  Rocky  river — rises  near  the  eastern  boundary  of  the 


INDIANA. 


131 


state,  not  much  north  of  the  sources  of  Whitewater. 
IJcsUlesthe  above  rivers, are  a  number  of  bmall  streams,, 
that  water  the  country  on  the  southeast  branch  of  the 
Wabash.    The  other  side,  however,  is  more  abundant 
ui  hirge  water  courses. 

On  the  northwest  side,  10  miles  below  the  Pomme,  is 
Ricliards  creek  ;  10  miles  still  below  is  Rock  river  with 
high  banks,  flowing  through  a  country  rather  broken. 

TippacanoCy  comes  in  8  miles  below  Rock  river,  on 
which  was  fought  the  bloody  battle  of  November,  IBll, 
with  the  savages.  Near  the  confluence  of  this  river  with 
the  Wabash,  on  both  streams,  are  several  Indian  villages, 
with  extensive  cultivated  fields. 

Above  the  Tippacanoe  are  Pine  and  Redwood  creeks ; 
Rejoicing  or  Vermillion,  Jaune,  Little  Vermillion,  Eia- 
bliere,  Duchet's,  and  Breuette  rivers  ;  at  an  interval  of 
from  eight  to  fifteen  miles  of  each  other  j  all  flowing  from 
the  west  or  north  west,  mostly  small,  and  heading  in 
the  state  of  Illinois.  The  rivers  of  Chanin,  Big  and  Lit- 
tle Kemomic,  which  flow  to  lake  Michigan  ;  the  Thea- 
kiki,  Kickapoo,  and  a  part  of  the  chief  branches  of  Illi- 
nois river,  all  meander  through  the  north  western  part 
of  the  state  ;  and  all,  except  the  last,  entirely  within  its 
boundaries  :  the  three  first  running  from  south  to  north  ; 
the  latter,  south  and  southwest.  The  Vermillion  of  Illi- 
nois rises  in  Indiana,  near  the  sources  of  Tippacanoe* 
There  are  many  smaller  streams  not  enumerated.  The 
borders  of  the  Michigan  lake,  within  the  state,  are  well 
watered  by  the  numerous  forks  of  Black  river  and  St 
Joseph's,  of  lake  Michigan ;  the  latter  heading  near,  and 
interlocking  with  the  branches  of  Eel  rivert  and  pursu- 
ing a  winding  course  70  miles  through  the  northern  part 
of  Indiana. 


132* 


INDIANA. 


Tlve  northern  hiilf  of  tiie  state  is  interspersed  with  a 
great  number  of  lakes — 38  of  which,  from  two  to  teii 
miles  in  length,  have  been  delineated  on  maps.  The 
actual  number  is  supposed  to  exceed  100.  Some  have 
two  distinct  out-lets ;  one  running  into  the  northern  lakes, 
the  other  into  the  Mississippi.  The  greatest  number  of 
these  lakes  are  between  the  head  waters  of  the  two  St 
Joseph's,  Black,  Raisin,  Tippacanoe  and  Eel  rivers. 


V-". 


^■ 


ILLINOIS. 


The  state  of  Illinois  is  bounded  north  by  the  North- 
west Territory,  east  by  Indiana,  south  by  the  Ohio,  which 
separates  it  from  Kentucky,  and  west  by  the  Mississippi : 
long.  10°  17'  to  14°  17'  lat.37°  to  41°  55'  north— 345 
miles  long  from  north  to  south,  and  220  from  east  to  west 
— containing  about  50,000  square  miles.  The  Ohio, 
Wabash  and  Mississippi  constitute  nearly  three-fourths 
of  the  extent  of  boundary  of  this  state. 

Face  of  the  country^  soil,  Sfc, — The  soutliern  and  mid- 
dle sections  of  this  state  are  partly  level  and  partly 
'.vaiving,  with  gentle  swells.  It  has  been  estimated,  that 
about  two-thirds  of  the  whole  territory  is  occupied  by 
prairas.  Of  those  prairas  there  are  two  distinct  species : 
the  one,  low,  wet  and  flat,  occasionally  cold  and  tinpro- 
iluctive,  contributing  to  form  the  sources  of  streams,  and 
exhibiting  the  appearance  of  being  the  bottom  of  lakes, 
long  since  drained  or  dried  up,  am  covered  with  a 
very  coarse,  tall  grass.  Of  this  kind,  there  are  few  in 
this  state.  The  other  species  is  from  25  to  80  feet  higher ; 
consisting,  commonly,  of  a  deep,  strong,  dry,'  warm,  dark 
colored,  sandy  loam,  that  has  been  formerly  covered  with 
timber,  long  since  killed  and  consumed  by  fires,  kindled 
nnd  supported  by  dead  grass,  spread  over  the  surface ; 
which  fires,  in  dry  seasoos,  destroy  the  preceding  growth 
of  young  trees,  and  gradually  encroach  on  the  surround- 
ing forests.    By  these  m>?ans  the  sp?ces  of  the  prairas  are 


134 


ILLINOIS. 


constantly  enlarged.  The  upland  prairas  yield  gtasses 
from  two  to  six  teet  high ;  which,  though  coarse  and  wild, 
ailbrd  excellent  food  for  cattle,  both  irf  a  green  and  dry 
state. 

The  easterr  boundary  of  Illinois,  leaves  the  Wabash 
about  sixteen  miles  below  fort  Harrison.  From  that  point 
to  the  mouth,  the  country  bordering  on  the  Wabash,  is 
distinguishable  from  other  regions  in  the  west,  that  lie 
near  most  of  the  great  rivers,  by  the  absence  of  hills  and 
high  banks.  The  country  is  generally  level,  and  so  flat, 
that  much  of  it  is  overflowed  by  high  waters,  from  100 
rods  to  two  or  three  miles  wide.  The  lands  are,  how- 
ever, covered  with  a  rich  soil,  and  afford  many  valuable 
sites  for  plantations. 

The  northeastern  part  of  Illinois,  is  covered  with  im- 
mense tracts  of  prairas ;  sOme  of  which  are  extended  over 
broad  swells  of  land,  so  elevated  as  to  aftbrd  to  a  specta- 
tor, a  distinct  vision  of  some  of  the  rivers  and  flat  lands 
in  the  remotest  parts  of  the  state.  But,  what  is  singular, 
even  the  highest  prairas  are  supposed  to  be  too  wet  for 
plough  fields :  they  seem  designed  by  nature,  as  sources 
from  whence  to  supply  many  of  the  tributary  streams, 
which  form  the  sheet  of  waters,  that  in  a  manner  sur- 
rcund  the  state.  The  greater  portion  of  this  tract  is  wet 
praira,  well  calculated  for  the  raising  of  stock ;  the  sur- 
face generally  rolling,  sometimes  elevated  to  swells, 
which  though  of  gentle  ascent,  are  spread  out .  as  to 
Mcupy  much  space. 

The  soil  over  most  of  this  country,  is  deep  and  rich ; 
tlie  water  plenty  and  timber  scarce. 

The  Korth western  part  of  the  state,  is  a  hilly,  uneven 
country ;  whence  several  tributary  streams,  wldch  flow 
from  tliO  north  into  the  Wabash^have  their  source* 


ILLINOIS. 


135 


ICv 


From  Vinccnnes  to  Carlisle  on  the  Kaskaskia,  106 
miles  on  the  route  to  St.  Louis,  is  rich,  dry,  pralra  land  ; 
the  soil  from  two  to  five  feet  deep  ;  without  wood,  ex- 
cept the  skirts  bordering  on  water  courses.  The  first 
ten  miles  includes  Ellison's  praira,  on  the  river  Rmbarraa; 
an  excellent  tract.  Tlie  largest  praira^  through  which  the 
public  road  passes,  in  this  direction,  called  the  Grand 
PrairOy  is  22  miles  wide,  and  reaches  within  three  miles 
of  Carlisle.  The  whole  extent  of  country  from  t\m  Em- 
barrass, is  scantily  supplied  with  streams  of  water  :  and 
those  few  which  traverse  the  country,  are  generally  ex- 
hausted in  the  dry  summer  months.  This  whole  tract 
appears  to  be  without  the  calcareous  region ;  no  lime- 
stone being  discoverable,  and  but  few  substances  formed 
r  calcareous  earths.  The  next  -Lcrata  to  the  soil,  which 
k  a  black,  sandy  loam,  is  red  clay  mixed  with  fine  sand, 
from  five  to  ten  feet  deep.  The  third  strata  is  a  hard, 
dark  blue  clay,  mixed  wi  h  pebbles,  and  so  strongly  im- 
pregnated with  sulphur  and  copperas,  as  to  emit  a  feticl, 
offensive  smell.  The  only  water  which  car-  be  obtained 
from  the  wells  in  most  of  this  country,  though  consider- 
ed not  injurious  to  health,  is  rendered  disgustful,  by  the 
impregnation  of  sulphur  and  copperas. 

Froj^  the  Kaskaskia,  at  Carlisle,  to  St.  Louis,  54  miles, 
is  a  ?'  <^.t'  t^ne  country — the  suiface  somewhat  broken — > 
lebA  vi,  stronger  soil,  better  water,  and  m.c  e  wood, 
than  on  'i  •  **«,st  mentioned  tract. 

Between  Edwardsville  and  the  military  bounty  lands, 
♦'e  space  over  the  American  bottom,  for  8  miles,  is  first  rate 
*  md ;  the  remaining  distance,  28  miles,  is  considerably 
broken ;  the  soil  good,  except  on  the  high  ridges,  rather 
thin,  and  well  supplied  with  wood  and  water.  In  the 
blv.i   .  near  Edwardsville  and  Alton,  are  large  quantities 


136 


ILLINOIS. 


A  range  of  hills,  from  three  to  five  miles  wide,  extend, 
next  the  Ohio  bottoms,  from  the  Wabash  nearly  to  the 
Mississippi ;  frequently  rising  into  bluffs,  on  the  banks  ol 
the  Ohio,  to  the  height  of  100  feet.  North  of  these  hills, 
for  a  considerable  distance,  nearly  parallel  therewith,  is 
a  chain  of  swamps,  not  of  great  width,  that  might  be 
drained,  filled  with  clear  water,  produced  from  springs 
that  do  not  stagnate,  and  covered  with  a  large  growth  of 
cypress  trees. 

The  American  bottom,  in  width  from  two  to  eight 
miles,  extending  on  the  Mississippi,  from  the  Kaskaskia 
to  within  5  miles  of  the  Missouri,  being  in  length,  by 
the  course  ot  V  ri"er,  about  100  miles,  has  been  formed 
by  the  alluvion  •  e  Mississippi,  and  is  one  of  the  rich- 
est tracts  in  the  world  :  some  of  it  has  produced  crops, 
in  annual  succession,  without  manuring,  and  with  not  the 
least  perceptible  impoverishment  of  the  soil,  for  more 
than  a  century.  The  bluffs,  bounding  the  American  bot- 
tom, are  from  100  to  300  feet  high ;  presenting  a  perpen- 
dicular front  to  the  river,  of  limestone ;  but  sloping  east- 
wardly  two  or  three  miles :  the  soil  is  second  rate,  much 
broken  into  sink  holes ;  the  growth  of  timber,  oak. 

From  tie  mouth  of  the  Missouri  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Illinois,  about  25  miles,  the  eastern  shore  is  bordered  by 
hills,  from  80  to  100  feet  high.  Above  the  latter  river, 
the  hills  are  of  a  more  gentle  ascent. 

The  Military  Bounty  Lands  are  located  between  the 
rivers  Mississippi  and  Illinois,  in  the  form  of  an  irregular 
curvilinear  triangle ;  and  extend,  from  their  junction,  on 
a  straight  line,  north,  169  miles.  The  whole  tract  sur- 
veyed is  about  5,360,000  acres ;  exceeding,  by  nearly 
2,000,000  acres,  the  quantity  appropriated  by  Congress 
for  soldiers'  bounties  ;  which  was  3,500,000.    On  each  of 


ILLINOIS. 


137 


teml, 
o  the 
iksot 
hills, 
ith,  is 
rhtbe 
prings 
wth  of 

eight 
kaskia 
;th,  by 
formed 
le  rich- 
[  crops, 
not  the 
ir  more 
anbot- 
)erpeiv- 
east- 

,much 


of  the 

jred  by 

river, 

ken  the 
[egular 
ion,  on 
tt  sur- 
Incarly 
Ingress 
kch  of 


these  rivers,  for  nearly  100  miles  above  theirconfiuence, 
much  of  the  bottom  lands,  of  which  there  arc  large  quan- 
tities, are  overflowed  by  the  high  waters.  Next  to  these 
bottoms,  for  an  indefinite  width,  and  occasionally,  (near 
the  southern  extremity)  from  river  to  river,  from  two  to 
six  miles,  in  the  course  of  the  respective  rivers,  is  a 
range  of  high  lands,  broken  into  hills  and  knobs,  commonly 
of  a  thin  soil,  with  here  and  there  intervals  of  level  spa- 
ces :  most  of  the  latter  are  covered  with  a  strong,  deep 
soil. 

As  we  proceed  to  the  north-east,  beyond  this  region, 
the  surface  of  the  Bounty  Lands  becomes  more  conve- 
nient for  cultivation,  having  gentle  undulations;  and 
many  of  the  prairas  in  this  tract  are  exceeding  rich,  skirt- 
ed by  wood-lands  of  a  good  width — well  watered,  and 
exhibiting  a  delightful  scenery.  But  these  qualities  of 
soil  and  surface,  are  not  to  be  considered  as  extensively 
uniform :  they  are  subject  to  various  exceptions.  For  a 
general  description  of  the  Bounty  Lands,  it  may  be  ob- 
served, that  they  are  abundantly  accommodated  with 
wood  and  good  water ;  some  large  portions  are  too  low 
and  wet  for  cultivation,  or  salutary  to  health ;  other  parts» 
of  considerable  extent,  are  overspread  with  abrupt  hills 
and  high  knobs :  but,  that  with  considerable  exceptions, 
the  whole  tract  is  covered  with  a  good  soil. 

On  the  river  Embarras,  which  joins  the  Wabash  eight 
miles  westwardly  of  Vincennes,  is  a  large  tract  of  excel- 
lent land,  well  timbered,  with  the  exception  of  a  small 
portion  of  praira.  On  the  public  road  leading  from  Vin- 
cennes to  Missouri,  three  miles  east  of  the  Embarras,  is 
a  flourishing  settlement  of  eastern  emigrants,  who  are 
of  a  religious  sect  denominated  Christians.  They  are 
located  on  Ellison's  praira,  which  is'tlie  first  rate  of  that 

MS 


133 


ILLINOIS. 


Species  of  land,  and  is  skirted  by  a  sufficient  width  of 
the  most  valuable  wood  and  timber.  The  industry  ot 
those  people,  and  the  fertility  of  the  soil  they  occupy, 
enables  them  to  furnish  provisions  at  a  cheap  rate,  to 
emigrants  traversing  the  extensive  tract  of  unpeopled 
country,  east  from  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri ;  througli 
which  there  are  places  on  the  road,  from  20  to  30  miles, 
destitute  of  a  dwelling  house. 

The  region  between  the  Big  and  Little  Wabash,  west 
of  the  latter,  occupies  a  space  of  from  15  to  25  miles  wide, 
which  is  covered  by  an  excellent  soil.  The  largest  part 
of  this  tract  has  lately  been  surveyed,  and  will  be  short- 
ly offered  for  sale.  Much  of  the  land  bordering  on  the 
two  rivers  is  attended  with  the  inconvenience  of  being 
occasionally  flooded  by  the  high  waters — But  at  some 
distance  from  the  banks,  the  high  lands  afford  handsome 
and  valuable  situations  for  farms,  particularly  on  lands 
near  the  Bumpaw  creek.  The  prevailing  growth  of  tim- 
ber is  hickory,  black  walnut,  ash,  elm,  oak,  hackberry, 
cotton  'vood,  honey  locv.st,  and  sugar  maple.  Such  parts 
as  are  subject  tc  in'mdation,  and  other  low  rich  tracts, 
covered  with  a  thick  growth  of  wild  vegetables,  or  of 
forest  trees,  are  considered  very  unfavorable  to  healtli  in 
summer  months. 

At  the  confluence  of  the  Wabash  Avith  the  Ohio,  are 
many  thousand  acres  of  rich  bottom  land,  niost  of  which 
is  chiefly  flooded  during  the  period  of  high  waters. 

The  lands  bordering  on  the  waters  of  the  Kaskaskia, 
which  derives  its  source  near  the  centre  of  the  state,  are 
of  a  superior  quality.  They  are  finely  situated  and 
form  a  surface  convenient  for  cultivation — neither  flat 
nor  mountainous,  but  possess  a  medium,  undulating  in 
gentle  swells.    Through  this  delightful  region,  the  navi- 


ILLINOIS. 


139 


til  of 
try  oi 
;cupy, 
lie,  to 
jopled 
irough 
niiles, 

h,  west 

!9  wide, 

est  part 

e  short- 

r  on  the 

of  being 

at  some 

indsome 

on  lands 
of  tim- 
ckberiy, 
ch  parts 
1  tracts, 
es,  or  of 
iiealtli  in 

)hio,  are 
lof  which 

Is. 

laskaskia, 

Istate,  are 

^ted  and 

ither  flat 

lating  in 

the  navi- 


gable waters  of  the  Kaskaskia,  flow  southwardly  more 
than  130  miles  and  discharge  themselves  in  tlie  Missis- 
sippi, about  100  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio. — 
The  tributary  streams  which  intersect  the  country,  af- 
fords many  convenient  mill  seats.  Tlie  seat  of  govern- 
ment for  this  new  state  is  located  on  the  banks  of  this 
river,  in  39°  7'  north  latitude.  This  intended  metropolis, 
which  is  named  Vandalia,  is  about  83  miles  from  St. 
Louis,  and  about  95  miles  northeastwardly  from  Kas- 
kaskia. 

The  Parasaw  creek  commences  its  source  between 
50  and  50  miles  cast  of  the  Illinois,  and  running  south- 
wardly in  a  serpentine  course,  discharges  its  waters  into 
the  Mississippi,  between  30  and  40  miles  from  its  head, 
on  a  straight  line,  about  ten  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the 
Illinois.  It  is  a  small  stream,  and  navigable  only  a  few 
miles  up.  Some  excellent  bottom  lands  of  a  moderate 
extent,  form  the  margin  of  this  creek  ;  but  much  of  the 
soil  on  the  bordering  high  lands  is  thin  ;  the  forest  trees 
consisting  of  a  handsome  growth  of  oak  and  hickory. 
A  species  of  wild  grass  which  att'ords  a  tolerable  forage 
for  cattle,  covers  the  surface  of  the  ground.  The  lan- 
guor and  muddiness  of  the  stream  in  the  dry  seasons, 
render  the  water  nearly  stagnant,  and  produce  an  un- 
favorable eifect  on  health.  There  are,  however,  some 
excellent  sites  for  plantations  unoccupied,  scattered 
over  this  tract,  which  has  lately  been  surveyed.  Mr. 
Moffat,  from  New-York,  and  some  Irish  families,  have 
comm»nced  a  settlement  on  one  branch  of  this  creek.—- 
High  bluffs  from  one  to  two  miles  in  width,  extend  two 
or  three  miles  from  below  the  creek,  in  one  continuous 
ridge,  on  the  margin  of  the  Mississippi,  to  about  five 
miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois  ;  with  the  excep- 


140 


ILLINOIS. 


tion  of  intervals  caused  by  the  mouths  of  rivulets,  enter« 
ing  the  Mississippi,  and  k  space  of  narrow  bottom,  two 
or  three  miles  long,  below  the  Illinois,  occupied  by  tliree 
or  four  French  families. 

A  brarich  of  the  Grand  Praira,  which  lies  between  Vin- 
cennes  and  St.  Louis,  before  described,  commences 
about  12  miles  northeast  of  the  Parasaw,  and  extendi 
17  miles  in  length,  (the  width  not  exactly  known)  to 
lands  bordering  on  the  Macopen  creek.  This  praira  is 
interspersed  with  divers  clusters  of  good  timber  trees, 
occupying  from  one  to  five  acres  each.  In  some  places 
it  approaches  within  200  rods  of  the  Parasaw.  The  soil 
is  generally  good,  excepting  near  that  stream,  a  space  of 
about  six  miles  square,  is  thinly  covered  with  small 
stinted  oaks  ;  which  may  be  considered  rather  a  barren 
than  a  praira.  Here  the  surface  is  more  rolling  and  the 
grass  shorter,  than  on  the  other  parts  of  the  praira.  In 
this  tract  of  barren,  some  springs  of  water  are  to  be  found ; 
but  not  so  frequently  as  on  the  praira  j  where  the  sur- 
face is  varied  into  broad,  gentle  swells,  so  as  to  make 
the  scenery  pleasant  and  the  cultivation  convenient. 
The  Grand  Praira  is  bottomed  on  a  yellow,  loamy  clay, 
which  form  a  kind  of  pan,  that  will  render  the  fertility 
of  the  soil  durable.  It  will  also  render  it  abundantly 
productive  of  English  grasses,  such  as  clover,  timothy, 
spear  and  red  top.  It  has  been  ascertained,  that  prairas, 
whose  strata,  next  the  soil  is  composed  of  sand,  of  which 
kind  there  are  several  in  the  western  country,  although 
they  produce  good  crops  of  corn  and  small  grain,  will 
not  nourish  English  grasses.  The  best  parts  of  the 
Grand  Praira,  are  covered  by  a  black,  sandy  loam  which 
IS  not  drenched  by  heavy  rains,  nor  baked  by  ardent 
suns.    The  wild  grass,  which  makes  excellent  fodder  for 


ictmois. 

cattle,  grows  here  with         * 

i»  easy  penetn^te,.  w^.^p J^;--!'  -"  "'«  soU 
stagnant  pools,  and  the  ,y,J,T'  *'""  **'"§  "» 

c»W  and  limpid,  there  is  Jll  ^'"^  ^^eedingly  pure. 
States  -he.e  bttJStT'r  "^^  "''^'^  ""'"'-^ 
siluation  i,  highly  saLbi"^  ^  '"•>"''=•'•     "That  thi. 

excellent  quality  of  thi'^T''™  ^''"•'' "•""»  *»■• 
'-fo.-e  the  land^  Jle  ^ XT' I"  "'r*-' '""S 
»»tcrs  of  the  Macopen  creek  f»t  f  °""  "^  *''*  •"""•• 
Grand  Praira.  **''*  *^«"-  "««  from  the 

Ahout  ten  miles  southeast  nf  Tii-     • 
Mississippi,  is  a  tract  XuirV"''  *"''  »''"'« 
»l>at  is  called  the  JVound  PrX    I        '''  ""''^*'"S  "^ 
»ide,  and  from  four    „  fi^f  „  ^  f™"  "''»  *»  «00  -"ods 
'l>efirstquality,wellsunnlr   !k°"^-    '""^ '"^  '""f 

-ding  upland  is    oeS  'it!  a  h"1"'  ""  ^"^  ""- 
timlwr  trees.     On  this  tar,         *''»•"''<>'»«  growth  of 

Moimd  Praira  and  the  Z.  ™"''  ^™'™'  t^e 

«Kd  during  the  Sn       I^dT"  T''"'  "'""  ^'- 
-  August  the  presen      "    T"'f  '«'«■  "»''  ^-re. 
'20  families  had  settled  C  /'"  *°  '"'"•    Nearly 
' ejed.    This  tit  fe!lf  l:  ^JT  *'"  '""'■'  ^-o  »"- 
'"inois  with  the  Ms2rL''w  "''"''  J""^«»»<'f  the 
'"d  the  former  36  mile!  ^""^  °"  ""=  '"""^  »« 

--Catd  Se'  ::fe:™t  "^*  '■"  »'-^'"-' 

from  the  river,-  and    he  wl     ^''^Sntdually  recede 

------ms,rrrS:-2;K 


14^ 


ILLINOIS. 


banks,  finding  no  return  passage,  become  stagnant  in 
the  warmer  seasons,  and  contaminating  the  air  with 
the  noxious  particles  which  are  exhaled  from  the  witas- 
mata,  produce  agues  and  summer  fevers. 

About  25  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois,  on  the 
east  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  25  miles  above  St.  Louis, 
is  situated  Alton.  This  town  lies  west  of  Edwardsville 
10  miles,  and  was  located  in  1816.  Nearly  100  decent 
houses  are  already  erected.  The  spirit  of  enterprise  dis- 
played by  the  settlers,  who  are  mostly  from  the  eastern 
states,  and  the  natural  advantages  attached  to  the  place, 
point  out  this  town  as  a  stand  where  small  capitals  in 
trade  may  be  profitably  vested.  The  soil  of  the  sur- 
rounding lands  is  of  a  middling  quality  ;  the  face  of  the 
country  rolling ;  the  prevailing  growth,  walnut,  hickory 
and  oak  ;  the  ground  generally  overspread  among  the 
trees  with  an  excellent  kind  of  wild  grass,  by  some  cal- 
led red  top,  which  grows  tall  and  luxuriant,  and  whether 
green  or  well  hayed,  makes  good  food  for  cattle. — 
Among  the  forest  trees,  which  are  tall  and  tliinly  set, 
the  settlers  mow  and  make  into  hay  large  quantities  for 
winter  forage.  The  same  kind  of  grass  in  that  part  of 
the  country  is  spread  out  under  the  forest  trees  for  hun- 
dreds of  miles  in  every  direction.  When  well  cured, 
the  hay  is  esteemed  equal  to  timothy. 

Two  miles  from  Alton,  at  a  place  called  Wallace's 
mills,  on  Wood  creek,  which  empties  into  the  Mississip- 
pi, is  the  little  town  of  Milton,  on  the  route  from  Alton, 
by  Edwardsville,  to  Vincennes.  This  place  contains 
about  50  houses,  and  although  it  seems  to  flourish,  it  is 
considered  an  unhealthy  situation.  The  creek  here 
drives  both  a  grist  and  saw  mill ;  each  of  which  do  great 
business.     The  soil  extending  from  this  town  to  St. 


ILLINOIS. 


443 


r\t  in 

with 

mias- 

onthft 

Louis, 

daviUe 

decent 

ise  dis- 

eastern 

le  place, 

pitals  in 

the  sur- 

;e  of  the 
hickory 

nong  the 

;ome  cal- 
wheth^i: 
cattle— 
inly  set, 
itities  for 
Lt  part  of 
for  hun- 
[ell  cured, 

Wallace's 
[ississip- 

Hn  Alton, 
contains 

Irish,  it  is 

reek  here 
I  do  great 
m  to  St. 


Louis,  24  miles,  is  mostly  excellent,  being  all  bottom 
land,  except  the  six  miles  praira,  which  is  one  and  half 
miles  wide,  surrounded  by  trees  of  a  handsome  growth. 
The  greater  part  of  the  last  described  tract,  is  covered 
with  settlements  made  since  the  United  States  acquired 
a  right  to  the  soil.  A  peculiar  disease  among  the  cattle 
prevails  here,  which  the  people  call  milk  sick,  that  pro- 
duces in  beasts  strange  tremulous  motions,  and  so  strong- 
ly aftects  them,  as. often  to  prove  mortal.  No  where, 
except  at  this  place  and  about  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri, 
has  this  disorder  made  its  appearance.  The  milk  of 
cows  thus  affected,  has  proved  injurious  and  sometimei 
mortal  to  those  who  drink  it. 

Edwardsville  is  the  seat  of  justice  for  Madiso.i  county. 
It  lies  eight  miles  from  Milton,  and  20  miles  north  east 
from  St.  Louis  ;  is  a  flourishing  town,  containing  60  or 
TO  houses,  a  court  house,  jail,  public  bank,  printing  of- 
fice, which  issues  a  weekly  newspaper,  and  a  United 
States  land  office,  of  which  colonel  Stevens  is  the  Regis- 
ter. As  this  county  embraces  all  the  lands  above,  east 
of  the  Mississippi,  and  all  the  bounty  lands  in  Illinois, 
soldi  rs'  patents  and  grants  of  Illinois  bounty  lands  are 
recortied  here.  In  the  vicinity  of  this  town  is  a  society 
of  Methodists.  There  is  an  extensive  tract  of  land 
around  this  spot,  of  an  excellent  quality  ;  on  which 
many  plantations  have  been  opened.  But,  unfortunately 
for  settlers,  the  most  valuable  tracts  have  been  monopo- 
lized by  speculating  men,  who  are  non-residents. 

A  few  miles  north-northeast  from  Edwardsville  are 
Shoal  and  Silver  creeks ;  bordering  on  which  streams 
are  extensive  tracts  of  good  lands,  that  are  settling  fast. 

Carlisle  is  situated  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Kaskaskia, 
from  Edwardsville  50  miles,  on  the  pHbltc  road  leading 


14^1 


ILLINOIS. 


by  tliat  place  from  St.  Louis  to  Vinceniips.  Tliis  is!  a 
central  position,  bcin^  also  on  the  route  from  Hhawnee- 
tovvn  to  St.  Louis.  Carlisle,  thougli  but  lately  comniciji- 
ccd,  is  in  a  flourishing  condition.  It  is  accessible  by 
loaded  boats  from  the  Missi»i^ippi,  in  a  good  stage  of 
water.  The  country,  for  many  miles  around,  is  covered 
by  a  rich  soil,  consisting  of  good  uplands  and  beautiful 
prairas,  conveniently  skirted  with  wood,  and  supplied 
with  good  water.  Large  portions  of  these  lands  are  yet 
vacant,  and  hold  out  flattering  prospects  to  settlers.   . 

Macoptrii  Apple  and  Otter  creeks,discharge  themselves 
into  the  Illinois,  from  the  northeast,  near  together,  from 
25  to  30  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois.  Except 
within  a  few  miles  of  that  river,  the  lands  on  f.ll  theise 
streams  are  of  an  excellent  quality,  and  the  situation 
remarkably  healthy.  Of  sixty  families  which  the  author 
found  on  that  tract,  in  the  sickly  months  of  1818,  not 
one  single  person  was  out  of  health.  The  public  survey 
of  these  lands  was  completed  in  the  spring  of  1819.— 
Macopen  is  navigable  24  miles  from  its  mouth,  and  by 
removing  flood  wood,  boats  might  pass  many  miles  fur- 
ther up.  The  land  within  the  distance  of  10  or  12  miles 
of  the  Illinois,  is  but  ordinary  second  rate,  and  though 
well  watered,  is  broken  and  hilly :  but  eastwardly  of  this 
space,  tlie  face  of  the  country  is  variegated  by  gentle 
swells — ^the  soil  of  a  superior  quality,  well  supplied  with 
rivulets  and  fine  springs  of  pure  water,  a  good  proportion 
of  praira  and  wood,  and  the  whole  presenting  a  charm- 
ing rural  scenery.  The  number  and  variety  of  plants, 
growing  in  the  prairas,  produce  blossoms  of  every  hue, 
in  succession.  One  species  of  flower  expanding  its  blos- 
soms as  another  decays,  constantly  exhibits  vegetable 
nature,  through  the  long  summer  season,  in  her  gayest 


ILLINOIS. 


145 


i  lit  a 

vnee- 

imcn- 

le  by 

ge  of 

vered 

lufiful 

ppVied 

lie  yet 

•s.   . 

iselves 

r,  from 

Except 

il  tliesc 

ituation 

«  author 

18,  not 

; survey 

1819.— 
and  by 

lies  fur- 
2  miles 
though 
of  this 
gentle 
ied  with 
►portion 
Gharm- 
plant-8, 
sry  hue, 
litsblos- 


gayest 


attire.  There  the  senses  of  sight  aud  smell  •  find  their 
l)ii!;hcst  gratification,  while  the  mind  of  the  spectator 
is  vastly  amused  in  beliolding  thousands  of  the  busy  in- 
sects extracting  their  nectareous  food  and  winter  stores, 
from  the  spontaneous  bounty  of  a  provident  creator. — 
This  wonderful  provision  for  millions  of  honey-bees, 
giv*»s  them  the  means  of  replenishing  the  hollow  trees 
of  the  forest  with  honey,  of  \fhich  the  inhabitants,  with 
little  care  or  toil,  gather  bairels  yearly. 

A  tract  of  land,  extending  on  the  Mississippi  Bluifs 
bordering  the  bottom  lands  near  Alton,  from  10  to  15 
miles  wide,  eastwardly,  and  on  bluffs  bordering  the  Illi~ 
nois  bottoms,  northwardly,  from,  30  to  40  miles  in  length, 
is  of  a  waving  surface- — the  growth  of  trees,  hickory 
and  oak,  straight  and  tall,  but  thinly  set ;  springs  and 
2;ood  water,  rai*e.  The  soil,  over  some  parts,  rather 
thin,  is  of  a  dark  gray,  sandy  loam,  bedded  on  a  yellow, 
indy  clay,  excepting  where  the  Parasaw,  Otter,  Mcco- 
pen  and  Apple  creeks  flow  through,  the  margins  of  which 
consist  partly  of  good  bottom  and  partly  of  hills  and 
knobs. 

The  river  Sangamo  discharges  its  waters  into  the 
Illinois,  on  the  east  side,  about  140  miles  from  its  conflu- 
ence with  the  Mississippi.  The  Sangamo,  at  its  junc- 
tion with  the  former  river,  is  100  yanls  wide ;  and  is 
navigable  nearly  140  miles ;  its  current  bold  and  active, 
over  a  gravelly  bottom ;  its  general  course  about  west ; 
is  fed  by  various  tributary  streams,  which  intersect,  in 
divers  directions,  one  of  the  finest  countries  in  North 
America.  These  waters,  like  mountain  streams,  clear 
and  pure,  flowing  over  beds  of  pe  bles,  furnish  numerous 
cascades,  that  form  excellent  mill  seats.  The  southern 
branches  interlock  with  the  head  waters  of  streams,  that 


wsm 


H6 


ILLINOIS. 


M' 


ni'iDgle  witii  tli2  Kaskaskia  and  the  Wabasli.  The  tract 
drained  by  tiie  Sangaino  and  its  tributaries,  seems  to  dis- 
play as  enchanting  a  rural  scenery  as  could  be  painted 
by  the  fairest  fancy  of  a  poet  or  a  writer  of  romance. — 
The  extent  of  this  beautiful  country  is  not  yet  ascertain- 
ed by  actual  survey  :  but  by  hunters  and  military  ran- 
gers, who  have  traversed  the  region,  it  is  supposed  to 
spread  out  northwardly,  fror,i  the  head  waters  of  Kas- 
kaskia, from  70  to  120  miles,  and  eastward  ly,  from  the 
hills  skirting  the  Illinois,  from  40.to  70  miles.  The  sur- 
face is  not  an  unapt  resemblance  to  the  ocean,  in  broad 
prominent  swells,  after  a  storm.  The  soil  in  some  parts, 
a  deep,  black,  rich,  vegetable  mould  ;  in  others,  a  dark 
gray,  sandy  loam,  all  bottomed  on  a  fine,  marly  clay, 
mixed  with  sand.  The  face  of  the  country  is  generally 
interspersed  with  prairas,  commonly  long  and  narrow, 
skirted  with  wide  margins  of  forest  trees,  thinly  set,  but 
of  an  extraordinary  size  and  height.  The  growth,  black 
walnut,  hickory,  sugar  tree,  mulberry,  blue  and  white  ash, 
honey  and  black  locust,  elm,  pecan,  poplar,  cotton  wood 
and  sycamore  :  the  undergrowth,  pawpaw  and  spice  busli, 
praira  grass,  and  wild  pea  vines ;  large  grape  vines  are 
discoverable  in  nany  parts,  embracing  the  tops  of  tbe 
tallest  trees.  Clear  rilis  and  rivulets,  and  numerous 
springs,  supply  this  country  with  fine  water.  Iron  ore, 
salt  springs,  and  coal  are  abundant.  The  climate,  being 
between  40°  and  41°  north  latitude,  and  the  airuncon- 
taminated  with  noxious  exhalatiois  from  stagnant,  pesti- 
lential waters,  is  salubrious,  and  well  adapted  to  vigorous 
northern  constitutions. 

The  Sangamo  country  occupies  a  central  position,  ex- 
tending within  a  few  miles  of  Vandalia,  the  metropolis 
of  the  state  of  Illinois. 


ILLINOIS. 


147 


Millions  of  honey-bees,  fed  by  the  numberless  variety 
of  flowers,  with  which  the  prairas  are  constaittly  covered, 
through  the  spring  and  summer  months,  have  tilled  the 
hollow  trees,  of  the  forest  with  honey.  . 

Wild  game  of  various  kinds  are  found  every  where 
in  tl»e  fox"ests. 

Within  the  limits  of  the  last  described  tract,  the 
charming  wild,  rural  scenery,  the  healthiness  of  the  cli- 
mate, and  the  other  natural  privileges  connected  with 
(he  country,  induced  ?nore  than  200  families  to  make  set- 
tlements, before  the  lands  were  purchased  from  the  In- 
dians. 
A  strip  bordering  on  the  Illinois  bottom,  above  and  below 
the  mouth  of  the  Sangamo,  from  six  to  ten  miles  in  width, 
as  is  common  near  the  former  river,  is  uneven  second 
rate  land. 

On  the  6th  of  Auj;ust,  1819,  at  Edwardsville,  (Illinois) 
the  commissioners  of  the  United  States,  and  the  chiefs 
of  the  Kirkapoo  tribe,  negotiated  a  treaty,  by  which  a 
purchase  as  made  of  those  Indians,  estimated  to  con- 
tain more  than  10,000,000  ^f^rp.s  of  a  tract  of  country 
bounded  by  a  line  commencing  at  the  mouth  of  the  Illi- 
nois river,  and  running  eastwardly  by  the  old  purchase 
lines,  to  the  northwest  corner  of  the  second  Kaskaskia 
purchase ;  thence  northeastwardly,  by  the  old  purchase 
line,  to  the  line  dividing  the  Indiana  and  Illinois  states ; 
thence  north  to  the  Kankankee  river ;  thence  down  that 
river  to  the  Illinois ;  thence  down  the  Illinois,  to  the 
place  of  beginning :  embracing,  among  other  laids,  the 
whole  tract  denominated  the  Sangamo  counf.-y.  It  is 
yet  unknown  when  the  abovementioned  lands  will  be 
surveyed  and  exposed  for  sale. 

Jlivers. — There  is  no  state  in  the  Union  which  is  ac- 


43 


ILLINOIS. 


commodated  with  so  extensive  a  space  of  navigable  wa- 
ters, around  its  borders  as  timt  of  Illinois.  On  the  north, 
tlie  navigable  streams  open  a  communication  with  Lake 
Michigan,  which  is  as  a  bay  to  the  great  fresh  water 
Mediterranean.  On  the  east,  the  Wabash — on  the 
south,  the  Ohio — and  on  the  west,  the  Mississippi,  com- 
municate with  the  ocean.  The  interior  is  intersected 
by  the  Illinois,  which,  by  the  Pleiri,  one  of  its  branches, 
and  the  excavation  of  a  canal  across  a  narrow  portage, 
that  may  be  dug  at  a  moderate  expense,  will  open  a  pas- 
sage for  boats  to  the  navigable  waters  of  the  Chicago, 
that  flows  into  the  great  lakes.  A  description  of  all  the 
rivers  above  named,  except  the  latter,  may  be  found  in 
our  preliminary  remarks. 

Of  many  of  the  rivers,  winding  their  course  through 
the  vast  desert  and  uninhabited  regions  of  this  state,  be- 
ing not  yet  minutely  explored,  but  an  imperfect  accwint 
can  be  given.  The  following  flow  into  the  Great  Wabash, 
from  the  west :  Little  Wabash,  wliich  empties  into  the 
Great  Wabash,  20  miles  above  its  mouth  is  80  yards 
in  width,  affords  several  good  mill  seats,  of  which  one 
is  within  two  miles  of  its  mouth.  The  legislature  of  the 
state  have  incorporj»*ed  a  company  with  a  capital  of 
50,000  dollars,  to  rcinove  the  obstructions  to  the  passage 
of  l)oats  in  this  river.  When  this  pui'pose  is  effected, 
which  is  said  to  be  practical  at  a  small  expense,  the  river 
will  be  navigable  120  miles.  This  river  drains  a  large 
body  of  most  excellent  land.  The  Fox,  which  has  been 
delineated  as  a  rivor  on  the  maps,  is  but  a  bayou  of  the 
Great  Wabash.  The  Embarras  puts  into  the  Wabash  a 
little  below  Vincennes,  is  navigable  12  or  15  miles,  and 
affords  excellent  mill  seats.  Macontin,  St.  Germain, 
a  rivulet,  and  Jartue,  a  long  crooked  river,  joins  the 


ILLINOIS. 


149 


Wabash  between  Vincennes.and  Fort  Harrison.  Broir- 
ette,  Duchet,  Erablierand  Rejoicing,  head  in  the  state  of 
Illinois,  and  all  flow  into  the  Wabash,  between  Fort  Har- 
rison and  Tippacanoe  ;  the  latter  100  yards  wide  at  its 
mouth.  Several  of  these  rivers  derive  their  sources 
from  small  lakes,  which  abound  with  fowl  and  fish. 

Rivers  floiviiig  into  the  Ohio. — The  Saline  river  joins 
its  waters  with  the  Ohio,  30  miles  below  the  raouth  of  the 
Wabash,  and  is  50  yards  wide ;  it  aifords  convenient  pas- 
sage for  large  boats  for  more  than  half  the  year,  as  high 
as  the  United  States  Saline,  20  miles  by  water  and  12 
miles  on  a  straight  line  from  its  woutli.  Grand  Pierre, 
Lush  creek  and  Big  Bay  creeks  afford  good  mill  seats, 
but  are  not  navigable.  Cash  river  is  navigable  60  mile?, 
half  the  year ;  is  50  yards  wide  at  its  mouth  ;  three 
miles  above  which,  it  approaches  within  half  a  mile  of 
the  Mississippi,  discharo;ing  itself  into  the  Ohio,  five 
miles  above  the  mouth  of  tliat  river.  Its  tribtitaiies  have 
excellent  mill  seats. 

The  following  streams  flow  from  this  state,  below  the 
mouth  of  the  Illinois  river,  into  the  Mississippi : 

Muddy  river,  called  by  the  French  the  river  .i  Van 
discharges  its  waters  inta  the  Mississippi,  about  32  miles 
on  a  straight  line,  below  the  mouth  of  the  Kaskaskia^— 
It  is  a  bold,  steady  stream,  of  a  gentle  current ;  though 
but  70  yards  wide,  25  miles  from  its  n»outh,  it  is  naviga- 
ble for  seven  months  in  the  year,  150  miles ;  and  at  all 
seasons,  a  very  considerable  distance.  The  loose  tex- 
ture of  the  soil  has  given  a  good  depth  to  this  narrow 
stream. 

^.  Martfs  river,  a  considerable  mill  stream,  enters 
the  Mississippi  about  five  miles  on  a  ttraif|;ht  line,  below 
the  moutti  of  the  Kaskaskia. 


100 


ILLINOIS. 


The  Kaskaskia  takes  its  rise  near  the  centre  of  the 
state,  in  the  ricinity  of  the  southern  branches  of  the 
Sangamo ;  its  course  southwest,  till  within  100  mVles  of 
the  Mississippi,  when  it  takes  a  south  direction  to  its 
mouth  ;  its  eastern  branches  interlocking  with  the  wes- 
tern branches  of  the  St.  Mary's,  Big  Muddy,  Little  Wa- 
bash, and  the  Great  Wabash.  Its  tributaries  are  Crook- 
ed, Horse,  Praira  de  I-«ong,  Silver,  Sugar  and  Shoal 
creeks ;  besides  divers  small  streams  which  ara  all  well 
accommodated  with  mill  seats.  Above  Shoal  creek,  the 
main  branch  takes  the  name  of  Ok-aw.  Five  miles  from 
the  mouth,  this  river  is  100  yards  wide,  and  for  the  dis- 
tance of  200  miles,  is  navigable  for  boats  of  burden  ;  and 
it  is  believed,  that  by  a  small  expense  it  may  be  rendered 
navigable  300  miles  further  up. 

Cahokia  creek  rises  by  two  branches,  in  the  unsurvey- 
ed  lands  northeast  of  Edwardsville,  which  is  situated  on 
one  of  them.  Forming  several  ponds  in  the  American 
bottom,  it  approaches  within  20  yards  of  the  river,  oppo- 
Lite  to  St.  Louis,  and  discharges  its  waters  four  miles 
belo;;-  About  one  mile  from  its  mouth,  and  five  from 
St.  Louis,  is  Cahokiaville,  which  contains  about  160 
houses ;  the  inhabitants  mostly  French.  This  stream  is 
SO  yards  wide,  navigable  part  of  the  year  for  20  miles 
up,  and  drives  several  mills. 

Wood  ri*  er  enters  the  Mississippi  a  short  distance 
below  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri ;  on  it  are  some  good 
mill  seats. 

Streams  entering  Illinois  river  on  the  east, — Maco- 
pen,  Apple  and  Otter  creeks  enter  Illinois  between  25 
and  30  miles  from  its  mouth.  They  drain  a  large  body 
of  excellent  land,  of  which  a  description  has  already  been 
presented. 


ILLINOIS. 


151 


)f  the 

•f  the 

iAesof 
to  its 

B  wes»- 

eWa- 

Crook- 
Shoal 

lU  well 

jek,  the 

BS  from 

Ihe  dis- 

n  ;  and 

endered 

isurvey- 
uated  on 
.merican 
,r,  oppo- 
\\xr  wiles 
Lve  from 
lut  160 
tream  is 
;0  mileB 

Idistance 

10 


-Maco- 
reen  25 

56  body 
idy  been 


Chariton  creek  empties  abut  SO  miles  above  Otter 
creek,  intersecting  a  good  tract  of  country. 

The  Sangamo  is  about  75  miles  above,  which  we  have 
before  described. 

Little  Michiiimakinac  discharges  its  waters  about  200 
miles  from  the  Mississippi.  The  lands  through  which 
this  stream  meanders,  are  represented  of  a  good  quality. 
It  is  navigable  90  miles  and  branches  out  into  several 
forks  which  are  interwoven  with  some  of  the  head  waters 
of  the  Kaskaskia. 

Crow-meadow  river  heads  in  the  knobs  near  the  head 
waters  of  the  Vermillion  (of  the  Wabash) — its  course 
north  west— 20  yards  wide  at  its  mouth,  and  navigable 
15  miles. 

Peoria  Lake,  210  miles  from  the  confluence  of  the  Illi- 
nois with  the  Mississippi,  is  merely  an  expansion  of  the 
former ;  being  from  one  to  three  miles  wide,  and  20  miles 
long— has  no  rocky  shoals  nor  perceivable  current.  Its 
waters  abound  in  fish. 

About  the  centre,  on  the  east  side,  terminates  that 
range  of  bluff  which  borders  the  eastern  margin  of  the 
American  bottom,  and  extends  in  one  continued  ridge, 
to  this  spot. 

Appearances  justify  a  belief,  that  lake  Michigan,  at  an 
early  period,  found  an  outlet  into  the  Illinois,  through 
which  the  great  lake  waters  made  their  passage ;  there 
being  evident  water-worn  traces  on  the  banks  of  the  Illi- 
nois, which  indicate  that  it  formerly  was  the  channel  of 
far  more  abundant  waters ;  and  on  the  borders  of  the 
lakes,  that  the  surface  of  their  waters  were  once  several 
feet  higlier. 

Vermillion  is  a  small  stream  which  joins  the  Illinois 
ibottt  260  miles  from  its  mouth. 


153 


ILLINOIS. 


'JTlie  fCankaiikee  forms  a  juqction  with  tlie  Illinois, 
about  270  miles  from  its  confluence  with  the  Mississippi. 
It  is  a  stream  of  considerable  extent,  and  has  several 
branches.  It  is  believed  it  might  easily  be  made  to  com- 
municate with-  the  St.  Joseph  or  the  Maumee,  which  emp- 
ty into  lake  Erie. 

The  Rock  rilvr  discharges  its  waters  into  the  Missis- 
sippi 315  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois.  This  is  a 
beautiful  river,  and  is  navigable  300  miles.  It  rises  near 
Green  Bay — flows  through  a  country  of  good  land, 
where  valuable  lead  mines  are  found. 

The  following  streams  flow  into  the  Illinois  on  the 
west  side,  from  the  Bounty  Lands : 

J\riCee*s  creek  flows  through  a  broken,  hilly  country, 
and  enters  the  Illinois  about  70  miles  up. 

Crooked  creek,  navigaWe  30  miles,  of  a  smooth  cur- 
rent ;  in  its  winding  course,  more  than  100  miles  long 
—has  some  good  bottom.  The  lands  bordering  on  its 
bank  are  generally  broken,  but  well  timbered,  and  the 
soil  second  rate  :  its  tributaries  aiford  good  mill -seats. 
Coal,  iron  ore,  and  fine  free-stone,  abound  in  th?  banks. 
It  joins  the  Illinois  about  15  miles  ^ove  M'Kec's  creek. 

Spoon  River  empties  about  30  miles  above  the  base 
line  in  the  Bounty  Lands,  meanders  in  a  southwardly 
course,  more  than  120  miles,  and  is  navigable  nearly  50 
miles.  The  bordering  laoids  are  of  various  qualities — 
some  good  bottoms,  but  the  surface  generally  broken. 
This  river  and  its  tributary  streams  are  well  supplied 
with  mill-seats,  iron  ore,  coal,  and  salt  springs. 

Sdckfvpooy  or  Redbud,  discharges  its  waters  about  six 
miles  below  Fort  Clark,  which  stands  on  the  south-west 
tide  of  lake  Peoria.  This  stream  is  crooked,  and  is  ram- 
ified into  many  branches*  and  intersects  a  beautifiil  tract 
of  most  excellent  lands.    At  Fort  Clark>  which  is  a  de- 


ILLINOIS, 


153 


1019, 

ipVi. 
reral 

emp- 

jssis- 
isisa 
}  Dear 
lanil, 


)n 


the 


juntry, 

th  cm'- 

es  Ion? 
on  its 

,nd  the 

[1 -seats, 
banks, 
creek. 

:he  base 
iwardly 
arly  50 
lUties— 
broken. 
lUppUed 

t>out  six 
tith-west 

IB  raift- 
Ifiil  tract 

is  a  de- 


lightful site  for  a  town,  a  garrison  is  established,  where  a 
company  of  United  States  soldiers  are  stationed.  No 
considerable  streams  flow  into  the  west  side  of  the  Illir 
nois,  above  this  place. 

Henderson  river,  the  only  considerable  stream  which 
fiows  from  the  Bounty  Lands  into  the  Mississippi,  is 
about  60  miles  long,  navigable  nearly  20  miles,  and  has 
numerous  tributaries  which  branch  out  to  a  great  extent, 
and  drain  a  spacious  tract  of  good  land.  This  stream 
pours  its  waters  into  the  Mississippi,  about  240  miles 
above  St.  Louis. 

The  agricultural  productions  of  this  state  are  ncaily  the 
»ame  with  those  of  Indiana  and  Ohi«:  Stock  of  all  kinds 
are  more  easily  raised  by  new  settlers,  from  the  greater 
abundance  of  Praira  gras«.  Indian  corn,  wheat,  rye,  bar- 
ley, oats,  buckwheat,  and  various  kinds  of  fruits  and 
garden  vegetables  flourish. 

Counties,  chief  towns  and  population  in  1818,  the  year 
in  which  Illinois  was  erected  into  a  state : 


Counties, 

Population, 

Chief  f  oi(;ws. 

Bond 

1,322 

Perrysville 

Crawford 

2,074 

Palestine 

Edwards 

1,948 

Palmyra 

Franklin 

700 

Gallatin 

3,256 

Shawneetown 

Jackson 

1,294 

Brownsville 

Madison 

5,456 

Edwardsville 

Monroe 

l,'i58 

Harrisonville 

Pope 

.   1975 

Golconda 

Randolph 

2,939 

Kaskaskia 

St.  Clair 

4,516 

Belleville 

Union 

2,482 

Washington 

1,707 

White 

3,639 

Carmi 

EiiiliMiwiiTwhw 


154 


ILLINOIS. 


Another  enumeration  having  been  taken  a  few  months 
after,  the  amount  of  population  returned  was  40,156; 
which  exceeded  the  number  entitling  the  territory  to  be- 
come a  state. 

Belkmlle,  the  county  seat  for  St.  Clair,  lies  in  the  cen- 
tre of  the  Turkey  Hill  settlement,  4  miles  east  of  th« 
bluffbordering  the  American  Bottom,  six  miles  from  Sil- 
ver creek,  and  18  south-east  of  St.  Louis.  This  is  a 
flourishing  new  town,  surrounded  by  a  body  of  excellent 
lands.  In  the  same  county  is  Kahokia,  containing  about 
500  inhabitants,  chiefly  French. 

Kaskaskia^  the  county  seat  for  Randolph,  at  present 
occupied  as  the  metropolis  of  the  state,  stands  on  tlie 
west  bank  of  the  river  Kaskaskia,  11  miles  from  its 
mouth,  and  six  miles  from  the  Mississippi.  This  town 
was  settled  by  the  French,  before  the  founding  of  the 
city  of  Philadelphia,  and  once  contained  more  than  7000 
inhabitants:  at  present  there  are  not  more  than  160 
houses.  After  it  fell  into  the  jurisdiction  of  the  British, 
many  of  the  inhabitants  removed  to  Genevieve.  Placed 
near  the  mouth  of  a  river  extensively  navigable,  and  in 
the  vicinity  of  some  of  the  richest  lands  of  tlie  wrestern  | 
country,  connected  with  a  convenient  position  for  com* 
merce,  this  place  assumes  that  degree  of  importance! 
w^hich  must  eventually  attract  wealth  and  numbers.  Iti 
has  a  good  harbor  for  boats,  contains  a  land  ofiice,  \\ 
printing-oflice,  and  a  bank,  and  is  now  in  a  flourishiDg| 
condition. 

Praira  du  Mocker,  12  miles  from  Kaskaskia,  is  i\ 
French  village  in  the  American  Bottom ;  the  inhabitanti| 
subsisting  by  agriculture. 

•America,  8  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  has 
elevation  of  a  few  feet  above  the  highest  waters.    TM 


\ontl)S 
0,156; 
to  be- 

Lhe  cen- 
t  of  th« 
rom  Sil- 
rhis  is  a 
excellent 
ing  about 

,t  present 

Is  on  tl\c 

\  from  its 

rhis  town 

ling  of  the 

thanTOOO 

than  160 

he  Britisli, 

•e.    Placed 
ble,  and  in 
he  western] 
)n  for  cow- 
importance  I 
umbers.  ^ 

,nd  office,  \\ 
flourishinJ 

Laskia,  is  M 
inhabitants! 

|ohio,ha8i 


LLLINOIS. 


155 


[aters. 


Tb 


situation  is  plearant,  and  the  town  laid  out  on  a  liberal 
plan :  the  streets  being  at  right  angles,  the  one  fronting 
the  river  is  100  feet  wide,  and  the  two  which  cross  each 
(♦tlier  at  the  centre,  of  the  same  width ;  and  the  other 
streets  G6  feet.  The  proprietors  have  reserved  40  do- 
nation lots  for  mechanics,  who  may  settle  and  improve 
them.  It  is  projected  to  unite  the  Ohio  with  the  Missis- 
sippi, at  this  place,  by  a  canal ;  and  the  proprietors  are 
incorporated  for  that  purpose  with  a  capital  of  §1,000,000 
accompanied  with  the  privilege  of  a  banking  establirih- 
ment. 

Wilkinsonvillet  in  a  beautifiil  bend  of  the  Ohio,  was 
formerly  a  military  post,  under  the  command  of  general 
Wilkinson.  No  vestiges  now  remain  of  a  town  at  this 
place ;  and  it  has  lately  been  entered  as  vacant  land,.-by 
an  individual. 

Golconday  the  seat  of  justice  for  Pope  county,  is  plea- 
santly situated  on  the  bank  of  the  Ohio,bclow  the  mouth 
of  Lush  creek.  The  town  is  in  a  fiourishinj»;  condition 
and  bids  fair  to  become  a  place  of  considerable  import- 
ance. 

8hawneetown,  8  miles  below  the  Wabash  on  the  Ohio, 
is  subject  to  inundation  by  high  waters.  It  is  the  place 
where  courts  of  justice  are  held  for  Gallatin  county.  It 
contains  a  bank,  called  tlie  Great  Bank  of  IllinoiSt  with 
a  capital  of  82,000,000,  and  a  land-office  for  the  district. 

Carmty  the  seat  of  justice  for  White  county,  stands, 

surrounded  by  lands  of  the  first  quality,  on  the  west 

bank  of  the  Little  Wabash,  50  miles  from  its  mouth,  and 

35  from  Shawneetown. 
Palmyra,  the  county  seat  of  Edwards,  is  three. miles 

above  the  mouth  of  White  river. 

Palestim  is  the  capital  town  of  Crawford  county, 


156 


ILLINOIS. 


which  is  situated  on  the  Wabash,  above  the  river  Em- 
barras.  Many  otlier  towns  have  been  recently  com- 
menceil,  under  reasonable  prospects  of  becoming  flour- 
ishing places  for  business.  Several  other  to'.vns  have 
been  described  with  tlie  lands  that  surround  them. 

The  state  of  Illinois  is  supposed  to  be  covered  by  a 
larger  proportion  of  rich  soil  than  any  state  in  the  Union. 
But  it  is  not  to  be  disguised,  that  much  of  the  best  of  it 
is  inundated  by  high  waters,  and  that  large  tracts  are 
rendered  very  insalubrious  from  the  pestilential  exhala- 
tions proceeding  from  stagnant  waters.  Other  portions 
are  rendered  not  eligible  for  settlements,  on  account  of 
bad  water,  or  the  great  scarcity  of  that  useful  element. 
The  facilities  of  transporting  the  natural  produce  of  this 
state,  and  of  obtaining  foreign  articles  of  necessity,  are 
wonderful,  there  being  not  less  than  3,100  miles  of  navi- 
gable water  surrounding  and  intersecting  the  large  ex- 
tent of  territory  which  constitutes  the  state. 


r  Eni- 
'  com- 

I  flour- 


i. 

id  by  a 
Union. 
;st  of  it 
acts  are 
exhala- 
portions 
;count  of 
element. 
:e  of  this 
ssity.  are 
J  of  navi- 
large  ex- 


TENNESSEE. 


Tennessee  is  boumled  north  by  Kentucky  andpart  of 
Virginia;  east  by  North  Carolina;  south  by  Georgia, 
Alabama  and  the  state  of  Mississippi ;  and  west  by  the 
river  Mississippi;  between  4°  4'  and  14°  15'  west  lon- 
gitude, and  35°  and  36°  north  latitude  :  420  miles  long 
and  102  broad,  containing  40,000  square  miles. 

This  state  was  separated  from  North  Carolina  and 
erected  into  a  territorial  government  in  1790.  In  1796 
it  was  admitted  into  the  political  Union,  anc'  organized 
as  one  of  the  United  states. 

In  1791,  the  population  was  35,695  :  in  180C,  105,602; 
in  1810,  261,727,  of  whom  45,535  were  slaves,  and  1,317 
free  blacks.    The  militia,  in  1812,  numbered  2'j,19S. 

Face  of  the  country ,  soilt  Sfc. — The  surface  of  Ten- 
nessee presents  bold  features.  The  Mississippi  laves 
the  western  boundary,  and  the  Tennessee  anvl  Cumber- 
land, after  winding  their  serpentine  courses  over  a  great 
extent  of  surface,  pour  their  waters  witliin  11  miles  dis- 


158 


TENNESSEE. 


fance  from  each  other,  into  the  Ohio,  not  far  from  itn 
coriHuence  \vitli  the  Mississippi.  The  Cumberland 
inoiiiitains  intersect  the  state  obliquely,  and  divide  it 
into  une(|ual  parts,  called  East  and  West  Tennessee.— 
The  eastern  section  of  the  state  contains  what  may  be 
considered  the  nndcns  of  tl»e  Alleganies.  The  moun- 
tains here,  though  less  elevated,  are  broade''  and  more 
gently  inclined  to  the  west,  than  in  the  other  parts  of 
tl»e  state.  The  western  section  exhibits  a  surface  partly 
waving  and  partly  level ;  the  middle  is  broken  into  hills, 
and  much  of  tl»e  eastern  is  occupied  by  mountains ;  of 
which,  many  are  elevated  to  a  great  height,  attbrding 
prospects  romantic,  picturesque  and  grand.  The  great 
liaurel  Ridge  and  Cumberland,  are  among  the  moat  re- 
markable. Stone,  Yellow,  Iron,  Bald  and  Unaka,  are 
connected  in  one  continuous  chain — bearing  a  direction 
northeast  and  southwest,  and  forming  the  eastern  boun- 
dary of  the  state.  To  the  northeast  are  Bayes,  Copper 
Ridge,  and  Clinch  mounlains,  Powell's  and  Welling's 
Ridge,  all  separated  each  from  the  other,  by  v allies  from 
four  to  sixteen  miles  wide.  The  last  four  terminating 
north  of  Tennessee  river.  All  these  mountains  are  sur- 
rounded by  vallies,  which  afford  good  passages  for  run- 
ning waters  and  roads.  This  variegated  scenery  of  hill 
and  dale,  dry,  barren  heights,  rugged,  lofty  cliffs,  and 
smooth,  fruitful  valleys,  finely  irrigated  by  the  serpertijne 
rivulets,  formed  from  the  cold  mountain  springs,  descend- 
ing, as  they  unite  in  cascades,  over  the  rocks,  present 
views,  at  once  beautiful,  romantic  and  sublime.  Three- 
fourths  of  the  entire  surface  of  this  state  is  supposed  to 
consist  of  mountains  and  hills.  The  vallies  and  river 
bottoms  are  exceedingly  fertile  ;  but  the  summits  of  the 
mountains,  tliough  sometimes  extensively  level,  as  is  the 


in  its 

1*1  and 

itie  it 

lee. — 

lay  be 

inoun- 
more 

irts  ol" 

partly 

[)  hills, 

lis ;  of 

fording 

e  ^reat 

loat  re- 

ika,  are 

irection 

I  boun- 

Coppcr 

elling's 

is  from 

linating 

are  sur- 
er rari- 
of  hill 
ffs,  and 
peniine 

lescend- 
present 
Three- 
^osed  to 
Id  river 
IS  of  the 
iS  is  the 


TENNESSEE. 


159 


Cumberland,  over  which  public  roads  cross,  nheic  are 
considerable  settlements,  are  covered  with  an  inditter- 
ent  soil;  which,  however,  is  productive  of  clover,  the  small 
grains,  and  of  fruits.  The  mountain.^  generally  incline  to 
the  west,  and  disappear  some  distance  east  of  the  Missis- 
sippi and  the  hills  are  generally  depressed  as  tJiey  ap- 
proach the  Ohio.  The  great  variety  of  surface  produces 
a  variety  of  s»oil.  In  the  western  parts,  the  soil  is  black 
and  rich.  In  the  middle  are  extensive  tracts  of  good 
lands.  The  eastern  is  variegated  with  mountains, 
covered  with  rocks,  or  a  thin  soil  ;  and  beautiful  vallies, 
cciuMstingof  most  excellent  lands. 

From  so  many  concurrent  causes  varying  the  temper- 
ature of  climate,  the  same  latitude  from  east  to  west  ap- 
pears as  much  varied  in  the  temperature  of  heat,  as  an 
equal  distance  from  north  to  south  on  the  same  meridian. 
The  state  of  Tennessee  may  be  considered  as  presenting  a 
medium,  between  the  extfemes  of  heat  and  cold  in  the 
noru  crn  and  southern  regions  of  the  United  Staiv..4.— 
The  climate  is  generally  healthy,  particularly  in  East 
Tennessee,  whefe  the  summer  heat  is  so  moderated  by 
the  current  of  mountain  air,  continually  moving  from 
the  west,  and  the  refreshing  breezes  from  the  Mexican 
Gulf,  on  the  south,  that  this  part  of  the  state  possesses 
one  of  the  most  salubrious  and  desirable  climates  on  the 
continent.  A  Tennessee  winter  is  not  an  unapt  resem- 
blance to  a  New-England  spring.  It  is  very  seldom,  ex- 
cept on  the  high  mountains,  that  snow  falls  to  the  depth 
of  six  inches,  nor  does  it  continue  lon-j-er  than  six  or  eiirht 
days.  From  the  first  settlement  of  the  country,  Cum- 
berland has  not  been  frozen  over  more  than  two  or  three 
times.  The  winters  are  generally  so  mild  that  cattle 
require  no  shelter. 


mifmmmm 


mm 


mmmm 


160 


TENNESSEE. 


61? 


As  our  object  is  not  to  describe  Elysian  fields,  nor 
Utopian  regions,  but  to  instruct  our  readers  in  simple 
geographical  facts,  so  far  as  we  can  distinctly  ascertain 
them,  we  feel  it  our  duty  to  charge  emigrants  from  tlu' 
north  to  beware  how  they  seat  themselves  down  \wv' 
manently  on  low  lands,  however  rich,  that  are  shaded  by 
thick  forest  trees,  especially  near  stagnant  waters.  Ot 
this  description  arc  considerable  tracts  of  fertile  lami 
in  the  state  of  Tennessee,  where  new  settlers  have  se- 
verely sufllered  fi  orn  agues  and  billious  fevers.  AfWi 
#uth  lands  are  disburthened  of  tlie  fo'est  trees  and  sufli- 
ciently  exposed  to  the  sun,  the  causes,  proceeding  from 
decayed  vegetables,  neither  dry  nor  decomposed,  which 
engender  mortal  disease,  are  removed  ;  then  the  vigor- 
ous, hardy  cultivator  from  the  north,  may  safely  erect 
his  cabbin  and  pursue  hb  usual  labors. 

The  largest  portion  of  the  state  is  bedded  on  lime- 
stone. Caves  of  great  extent  and  depth,  may  be  found 
within  this  calcareous  region  :  from  whence  large  quan- 
tities of  sal  c  petre  are  taken ;  which  forms  one  of  the 
staples  of  i '' mmerce.  • 

For  the  gratification  o*'the  curious,  we  will  state  some 
remarkable  traces  of  animals,  such  as  th6  distinct  im- 
pression of  tlip  feet  of  wiew,  horses,  hears,  and  turkeys, 
on  solid  ,  ck  ;  winch,  from  the  earliest  knowl<Mlge  of 
tlic  c<Mintry,  have  been  as  clearly  distinguishable  as 
thougli  made  in  snow  or  sand,  on  the  summits  of  wliat 
are  called  the  Enchanted  Cumberland  Mountains.  To 
the  philosophical  naturalist,  e  leare  the  investigation 
of  these  wonderful  phenomena. 

Spacious  strata  of  Gypsum  have  lately  been  discover- 
ei\ ;  copperas,  allum,  lead,  some  silver,  coal,  and  several 


TENNESSEE. 


161 


niiheral  springs,  are  found  in  divers  places  within  the 
state.  Salt  and  iron  are  also  prcjduced  in  East  and 
West  Tennessee  ;  in  both  of  which,  iron  works  have 
been  put  in  operation. 

Forest  trees  of  an  extraordinary  size,  and  of  almost 
every  species  that  grow  in  the  west,  are  abundant :  as 
also  great  quantities  of  large  cane.  There  are  many 
herbaceous  plants  possessing  medical  virtues  j  such  as 
snake  root,  ginseng,  anise,  spikenard. 

F:<»h  and  wild  game  abound  in  the  waters  and  woods 
of  Tennessee. 

To  speak  in  the  language  of  geologists,  excepting  the 
alluvial  margins  of  rivers  and  a  small  portion  of  East 
Tennessee,  which  is  transition^  the  whole  geological  for- 
mation of  the  state  is  secondary. 

Of  the  agricultural  productions  of  Tennessee,  the  vari- 
ety is  as  great;  perhaps,  as  any  one  of  tiie  United  States. 
Maize,  wheat,  rye,  oats,  barley,  buckwiieat,  hemp,  flax, 
cotton,  tobacco,  and  almost  every  species  of  fruit  trees 
within  the  Tnitcd  States,  flourish  here.  Cotton  and  to- 
bacco are  the  principal  staples  for  exportation ;  of  which 
great  quantities  are  sent  to  Orleans  market,  yearly.— 
Agriculture  is  the  chief  employment  for  most  of  the  in- 
habitants of  this  state ;  and  the  rivers  Tennessee  and 
Cumberland  are  the  principal  medium  for  transporting 
the  country  produce  to  the  Ohio.  The  navigable  waters 
of  the  Tomigbee,  have  been  supposed  capable  of  turnish- 
ing  a  more  conv»,aient  outlet  to  the  ocean,  for  several 
parts  of  the  state. 

The  western  part,  between  Tennessee  and  the  Missis- 
t  ippi,  lately  belonged  to  the  Chickasriw  Indians ;  and 
a  large  district  to  the  southeast,  to  the  Cherckee  tribe. 

o2 


mmmmmm 


162 


TENNESSEE. 


First  settlements. — Tennessee  was  originally  a  part 
of  North  Carolina.  About  the  commencement  of  the 
revolutionary  war,  several  families  without  authority 
from  any  government,  commenced  an  establishment  in 
East  Tei  nessee,  and  remained  unnoticed,  until  they  dis- 
tinguished themselves  in  bravely  repelling  the  hostile 
incursions  of  the  savages,  on  the  frontiers.  Thus,  acci- 
dentally, were  congregated,  a  body  of  hardy  backwoods- 
men, armed  in  self-defence  ;  and  by  protecting  their  own 
possessions  from  the  dreadful -fury  of  savage  warfare, 
opposed  a  barrier  trt  the  inroads  of  the  barbarous  enemy, 
on  the  frontiers  of  South  Carolina,  North  Carolina  and 
Virginia. 

Before  we  treat  of  the  rivers,  we  will  add  a  few  words 
respecting  the  Muscle-shoals.  They  are  an  expansion 
of  the  river  Tennessee,  about  250  miles  from  its  mouth, 
and  nearly  the  same  distance  from  the  TFhirl  or  Suck; 
where  the  river  branches  through  tlie  Great  Ridge,  or 
Cumberland  Mountains.  The  expansion  extends  about 
25  miles  ;  is  from  two  to  three  miles  wide,  and  receives 
its  name  from  the  number  of  soft  shell  turtles  and  fresh 
water  clams  found  here. 

Rivers  ivithin  the  state. — Tennessee  and  Cumberland 
arc  the  principal ;  a  descrip  ion  of  which  may  be  found 
in  our  preliminary  remarks. 

Tfie  Ilolston  rises  in  Virginia,  and  runiiing  southwest, 
joins  the  Tennessee  22  miles  below  Knoxville  ;  is  about 
200  miles  long,  and  navigable  for  boats  of  25  tons  burden, 
100  miles. 

21ie  Clinch  rises  in  Virginia,  and  flowing  southwest, 
joins  the  Tennessee,  30  miles  west  of  the  Holston  j  be- 
ing about  200  miles  in  length. 


lfV"lU 


llWHIpLliUn 


TENNESSEE. 


163 


Duck  river  h?*s  its  head  waters  in  the  southeast  part 
of  the  state,  and  flows  into  the  Tennessee  about  80  miles 
west  of  Nashville.     It  is  navigable  for  about  90  miles. 

Elk  River  derives  its  source  from  Cumberland  moun- 
tains ;  is  155  miles  long,  and  empties  itself  into  the 
Tennessee,  near  Miiscle-shoals,  There  are  many  orher 
streams  of  less  note,  which  flow  either  into  the  Cum- 
berland, Tennessee,  or  the  Mississippi.  The  two  for- 
mer  streams  traverse  i\\e  state  in  so  wide  a  range,  put- 
ting out  into  so  many  branches,  that  it  is  said,  there  is 
rarely  a  spot  20  miles  distant  from  navigable  waters 
witliin  the  state. 

The  counties,  population  (as  by  the  census  of  1810) 
and  chief  towns,  appear  in  the  following  columns. 
•    EAST  TENNESSEE. 
Counties,  Population.         Chief  Towns, 

Anderson  3,959  Clinton 

8,839  Pikeville 

3,259  Maryville 

2,6G8  Jacksonburg 

4,190  Elizabethtown 

4,798  Tazewell 

5,154  Newport 

6,397  Rutledge 

7,643  Kogersville 

9,713  Greenville 

7,309  Dandridge 

10,171  Knoxville 

2,504  Washington 

5,581  Kingston 

4,595  Seviervilie 

6,847  Blountsville 

7,740  Jonesborough 


;e,  or      ■ 

Bledsoe 

about      ■ 

Blount 

reives      ■ 

Campbell 

fresh      1 

Carter 

Claiborne 

u'land      1 

Coke 

found      1 

Granger 

Hawkins 

liwcst,      ■ 

Green 

about      I 

Jefferson 

urdeu,      1 

Knox 

Rhea 

hwest,      1 

Uoane 

n ;  be-      1 

Sevier 

Sullivan 

Washington 

«    ii*WP  I  — — "■^■WBIppPiUpiH 


164                    '^ 

TENNESSEE. 

WEST  TENNESSER. 

Bedford 

8,242 

Shelbyville 

Davidson 

15,608 

Nashville 

Dickson 

4,516 

Charfotte 

Franklin 

5,730 

■  Winchester 

Giles 

4,536 

Pulaski 

Hickman 

2,583 

Vernon 

Humphries 

1,511 

Reynoldsburg 

*    Jackson 

-    5.401 

Williamsburg 

Lincoln 

6,104 

Fayetteville 

Montgomery 

8,C21 

Clarkesville 

j                     Maury 

10,359 

Columbia 

Overton 

5,643  ' 

Monroe 

Robertson 

7,270 

.   Springfield 

Rutherford 

10,265 

Murfrcesborough 

Sumner 

13,792 

Gallatin 

Smith 

11,649 

Carthage 

!                      Stuart 

4,262 

Dover 

Wilson 

11,952 

• 

Lebanon 

Williamson 

13,153 

Franklin 

White 

4,028 

Sparta 

Warren 

5,725 

M'Minville 

I                 Murfreeshorougk,  in  West  Tennessee,  is  the  ip.ctropo- 

!is,  where  the  Legislat 

ure  meet.  It  is  32  miles  south  east 

from  Nashville,  160  west  of  Knoxville,  708  from  the  city 

of  Washington,  in  longitude  9**  35 

'  west,  latitude  35°  53' 

north.  In  1818,  there 

were  1100  inhabitants.   The  town 

contains  a  courthouse 

,  jail,  a  market  house,  a  branch  of 

the  Nashville  bank,  an 

academy. 

a  printing  office,  from 

which  a  weekly  newspaper  issues. 

and  about  200  houses, 

built  mostly  of  brick. 

The  public 

edifices  are  also  brici-, 

and  exhibit  a  neat  style 

1.  The  town 

was  commenced  about 

the  year  1812,  but  was 

not  established  as  the  seat  of  gov- 

TENNESSEE. 


465 


ernment  till  1817.  It  is  now  one  of  the  most  flourishing 
towns  in  the  state.  The  situation  is  healthy,  being  a  plea- 
sant eminence,  descending  in  every  direction,  and  r^com- 
modated  with  springs  of  pure  vvater ;  and  within  the  dis- 
tance of  2^  miles  are  two  mineral  springs,  the  waters  of 
which  have  proved  salutary  in  several  complaints.  In  the 
vicinity  are  valuable  mills.  The  country  surrounding  the 
metropolis  of  the  state,  consists  of  an  extensive  tract  of 
most  excellent  land,  abundantly  productive  of  corn, 
wheat,  cotton,  tobacco,  various  kinds  of  fruits,  and  En-r 
giish  grasses.  The  surface  is  nearly  level,  for  an  extent 
of  more  than  twenty  miles  square.  New-Orleans  fur- 
nishes the  market  for  the  produce  of  this  section  of  the 
country.  From  Murfreesborough  to  Nashville,  is  an 
excellent  road ;  and  steam  boats  ply  from  that  place  to 
the  Mexican  Gulf. 

JSTashville,  in  West  Tennessee,  110  miles  north  of 
Iluntsville,  190  west  of  Knoxville,  250  southwest  of 
Lexington,  430  northeast  by  north  of  Natchez,  is  plea- 
santly situated  on  the  south  bank  of  the  Cumberland. — 
The  population  in  1^  1 8  was  between  3000  and  4000.  This 
town  lies  in  10°  6'  west  long,  and  35°  45'  north  lat.  It 
is  regularly  laid  out,  and  contains  a  court  house,  jail, 
market  house,  two  banks,  a  young  ladies'  academy,  a 
public  library  of  1200  volumes,  a  cotton  and  woolen  fac- 
tory, a  ropewalk,  two  distilleries,  and  three  places  for 
public  worship— one  Presbyterian,  one  Methodist,  and 
one  Baptist.  This  is  a  thriving,  wealthy  town,  the  lar- 
gest in  the  state ;  stands  in  a  fertile  populous  part  of  the 
country,  and  carries  on  a  flourishing  trade.  The  Cum- 
berland is  np  v;;rable  from  the  Ohio  to  thip  place,  for  ves- 
sels of  40  *  i  burden,  nine  months  in  the  year,  and  du- 
ring the  8':u8ons  of  high  water,  fpr  ships  of  4  or  500  tons. 


wmm 


ww^tm 


166 


TENNESSEE. 


Nashville  is  distant  from  New-Orleans  in  the  present 
route  by  Natchez,  586  miles — but  a  new  road  is  opening 
by  Madisonville,  shortening  the  distance  to  480.  (Cum- 
berland College,  in  Nashville,  although  incoi-porated  in 
1806,  and  accoinmodated  with  an  edifice  90  feet  long 
and  three  stories  high,  has  not  yet  gone  into  operation  :  a 
grammar  school  is  kept  in  the  building. 

Knoxvillpi  in  Bast  Tennessee,  in  tlie  county  of  Knox, 
lies  on  the  Holston,  22  miles  above  its  junction  with  the 
.Tennessee,  190  miles  east  of  Nashville,  and  the  same  dis- 
tance south  ©f  Lexington.  The  town  occupies  a  pleasant 
situation.  It  contains  a  court  house,  jail,  a  state  bank, 
an  academy,  barracks  sufficient  to  accommodate  700 
men,  two  printing  offices,  each  of  which  issue  a  weekly 
newspaper,  and  three  places  for  public  worship — one  for 
Presbyterians,  one  for  Baptists,  and  one  for  Methodists. 
It  is  the  most  considerable  town  in  East  Tennessee,  and 
formerly  was. the  seat  of  the  state  government.  Hamp- 
ilen  Sydney  Academy,  is  a  respectable  seminary.  A 
College  has  been  established,  but  has  not  yet  been  put 
into  operation. 

The  other  towns  of  most  note,  which  are  Franklin, 
Fayetteville,  Shelhyvilley  Columbia^  Clarkesvillet  Car- 
thage and  Gallatin  in  West  Tennessee,  and  Jonesho- 
Tfiugh,  Greenville  and  Rogersville  in  East  Tennessee, 
we  shall  not  attempt  to  describe,  for  want  of  sufficient 
information. 


mm 


wmF 


panpiF 


mPHipilM  l'«l|illll^ 


escnt 

tvum- 

ed  in 

long 


MISSISSIPPI 

Was  erected  into  a  state  in  the  year  1817.  Accord- 
ing to  the  act  of  Congress,  it  is  bounded  as  follows :  be- 
j^inning  on  the  Mississippi  river,  where  the  southern 
boundary  line  of  the  state  of  Tennessee  strikes  the  same; 
thence  east  along  the  said  bour/lary  line  to  the  Tennes- 
see river ;  thence  up  the  same  to  the  mouth  of  Bear 
creek ;  tlicnce  by  a  direct  line  to  the  northwest  corner 
of  the  county  of  Washington ;  thence  due  south  to  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico ;  thence  westwardly,  including  all  tlie 
islands  within  six  leagues  of  the  shore,  to  tlie  most  eastern 
junction  of  Pearl  river,  with  lake  Borgne ;  thence  up 
said  river  to  north  latitude  31° ;  tlience  west,  along  said 
degree  of  latitude  to  the  Mississippi ;  thence  up  the  same 
to  the  beginning. 

It  is  situated  between  30°  and  35°  north  lat.  and  8" 
and  14°  west  long.  Lengtii  nearly  340  miles,  breadth 
about  150  ;  containing  28,000,000  acres. 

Rivers. — The  Mississippi  forms  a  western  boundary 
to  the  state,  to  an  extent  of  nearly  700  miles  by  the  me- 
anderings  of  the  river ;  in  a  direct  line  only  about  280. 
The  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi  is  rendered  less  con- 
venient for  settlements,  than  the  west,  by  the  great 
extent  of  inundated  lands  on  its  margin,  which  are  spa- 
cious. A  number  of  hills  approach  near  to  the  river,  and 
form  bluffs ;  as  at  the  Walnut  Hills,  Grand  and  Petite 
Gulfs,  Natchez,  White  CUfls,  and  Loftus*  Heightsv— 


mmmmmmmmmmm^ 


168 


MISSISSIPPI. 


Tliese  lieiglits  are  extended  in  nearly  a  direct  line,  while 
the  river  is  extremely  serpentine. 

Most  of  the  recent  alluvions  in  the  state,  consist  of 
lands  included  between  tiie  hills  and  the  curves  in 
this  river.  ** 

Cypress  swamps  occupy  the  low  lands  between  the 
base  of  the  hills  and  high  banks  of  the  river.  The  isl- 
ands in  the  Mississippi  are  generally  too  low  for  culti- 
vation, and  useful  only  for  timber. 

The  Yazoo  rises  in  the  Chickasaw  country,  near  the 
south  boundary  of  Tennessee,  interlocks  with  the  head 
streams  of  the  Tomigbtfr  and  pursuing  a  course  west 
by  north,  flows  into  the  Mississippi,  12  miles  above  the 
Walnut  Hills  ;  being  there  the  boundary  to  the  lands 
now  claimed  by  the  Indians.  The  banks  are  subject  to 
be  overflown  widely.  The  river  is  navigable  for  a  con- 
siderable distance  ;  much  of  the  course  of  which  being 
within  the  unexplored  lands  of  the  Indians,  is  but  imper- 
fectly known. 

The  Big  Black  river  derives  its  source  between  the 
Yazoo  and  Pearl  rivers,  and  flowing  nearly  southwest, 
joins  the  Mississippi  above  the  Grand  Gulf.  Like 
other  streams  between  the  Mississippi  and  the  Tombig- 
bee,  the  table  lands  drained  by  the  head  waters  of  the 
Big  Black,  are  steril  pine. 

Between  Big  Black  and  Homochitta  rivers.  Bayou 
Pierre,  Cole's  creek,  Fairchild's  creek  and  St.  Catha- 
rine's creek  enter  the  Mississippi.  The  general  course 
of  tiie  Homochitta,  for  about  70  miles,  is  southwest ;  it 
passes  through  a  lake  in  its  way  to  the  Mississippi.— 
Some  of  the  most  valuable  plantations  in  the  state  are  on 
this  stream.  Fifteen  miles  up  from  its  mouth,  the  banks 
are  unsettled,  being  anualiy  overflown. 


MISSISSIPPI. 


169 


hile 

it  of 
s   in 

1  the 
le  isl- 
cuUi- 


liujfalo  creek-  falls  in  two  miles  abov^  Fort  Adams. 
Iklow  this  creek  the  streams  flow  southwardly.  A  di- 
viding ridge,  commencing  in  the  high  lands,  whicli  gives 
rise  to  Yazoo  and  Pearl  rivers,  and  continuing  in  a  soutli- 
westwardly  direction,  separates  the  waters  of  the  Bonge, 
Chitto  and  Amite,  from  those  of  the  IToniichitta  and 
Ruifalo  rivers,  and  terminates  abruptly  at  Loftua' 
Heights. 

Leaving  the  Mississippi,  and  proceeding  eastwardlj^ 
in  latitude  31°,  we  reach  Amite,  which  rises  in  the  north- 
eastern extremity  of  the  county  of  that  name,  is  the  next 
considerable  stream  in  that  direction.  It  traverses  the 
county  southwardly,  enters  Louisiana,  and  unites  with 
the  Iberville,  40  miles  above  the  entrance  into  Lake 
Maurepas.  The  country,  drained  by  the  head  waters  of 
the  Amite,  is  hilly  and  salubrious,  has  a  good  supply  of 
pure  water,  a  productive  soil,  a  pleasant  scenery,  and 
convenient  and  desirable  sites  for  plantations.  The 
region  forming  the  Sources  of  the  head  waters  of  the 
Hogne,  Chitto  and  Pearl,  possesses  features  similar  in 
m\  and  surface  to  the  tract  last  described. 

The  Pascagoula,  to  which  Chickasaw,  Leaf  and  Dog 
rivers  are  tributaries,  is  a  beautiful  stream.  It  rises  in 
latitude  about  33°  and  running  parallel  to  the  Tombigbee 
and  Mobile  250  miles,  expands  near  the  Gulf,  into  a 
broad  bay.  Vessels  drawing  five  feet  of  water,  pass  to 
the  junction  of  Leaf  and  Chickasaw  rivers.  Although 
the  lands,  intersected  by  this  river,  are  generally  sterile, 
a  lai^e  portion  of  its  margins  is  of  a  good  soil,  and  con- 
venient for  cultivation.  The  region  bordering  on  the 
Gulf,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Pascagoula,  is  exempt  from 
stagnant  waters,  is  high,  dry  and  salubrious,  and  is  com* 


170 


MHSISSII'PI. 


Trumly  ipsorfcil  to  as  a  retreat,  by  llie  inhabitants  of  Or- 
loans,  tiurin!5  the  sickly  months. 

Fnce.  of  the  couritrif,  soU,  S^'c. — Tlic  ridj^e  of  hills, 
which  c wide  the  state  of  Mississippi  into  two  unequal 
seclions,  has  before  bjen  describe:!.  The  northwest  sec- 
tion comprises  all  the  counties  of  AVarren,  Claiborne, 
.Tefterson,  Adams,  Franklin,  and  the  "greatest  part  ol" 
Wilkinson,  and  one  half  of  Amite.  The  southeast  sec- 
tion comprehends  one  half  of  Amite,  all  Pike,  Marion, 
Hancock,  and  Jackson  counties.  The  two  divisions  are 
distinctly  marked  by  different  climates,  soils  and  pro- 
ductions. The  banks  of  the  Mississippi  constitute  tho 
western  borders  of  the  northwestern  section.  This  bor- 
der in  divers  places  near  the  river,  is  surrounded  by  hills, 
such  as  the  Walnut  Hills,  Gran^  (lulf,  Natchez,  White 
Cliffs  and  Tioftus'  He'ii^hts.  In  other  places,  the  IjIuA's 
approach  near  the  Mississippi,  as  at  Petite  Gulf,  Villa 
Ciayousa  and  Pine  Ridjje. 

The  most  extensive  Mississippi  bottom  in  this  regior, 
spreads  below  the  mouth  of  the  Yazoo,  at  Palmyra  ;  be- 
tween Bayou  Pierre  and   Cole's  creek  ;  between  Villa 
Gayousa  and  Natchez ;  and  between  the  White  Clift's 
and  Loftus'  Heights.     These  bottoms,  though  occasion- 
ally, are  but  rarely  five  miles  wide  ;  they   wouhl  not 
average  more  than  two  and  a  half.     Their  length  beini; 
supposed  about  200  miles  on  the  east  bank.     The  entire 
superficies  of  inundated  lands  on  the  river,  within  the 
state,  would  consist  of  an  area  of  500  square  miles :  to  I 
which  add,  for  the  river  and  creek  bottoms  projecting  | 
into  the  interior,  on  streams  which  enter  the  Mississippi. 
100  square  miles,  and  the  amount  will  be  600  square! 
miles :  an   estimate,  according  to   the  opinion  of  Mr.j 
Darby  (whose  attention  to  this  subject  entitles  his  ca! 


hac 
wil( 

r 

appr( 
T 

ifio; 
mark 
in  01 
near 
a  mi.^ 
soil, 
(his  t 
To  th 
hy  th 
and  t( 


MISSISSll'PI. 


171 


culation  to  great  credit)  sufficiently  ample  to  embrace 
all  the  inuiul.ited  bottom  between  tlie  Ya/.oo  and  tiio 
soutliern  boundary  of  the  state  of  Mississippi. 

From  these  bottoms,  the  iiills  rise  abruptly,  though 
not  to  a  great  height,  and  spread  out  into  a  waving  sur- 
face. Rarely  dot  s  any  part  of  the  United  States  pre- 
sent a  soil,  affording  a  greater  diversity,  tiian  tliat  of  the 
countrv  watered  bv  the  Ya/.oo,  Hiy;  lilack,  llomotliilla, 
Burtiilo,  and  their-  numerous  tiibutary  streams.  'I'he 
whole  of  tills  extensive  tract  is  womlerfuliy  productive 
of  that  most  valuable  vegetable,  the  cotton  plai»t. 

The  timber  growth  on  the  bottoms  consists  principally 
of  cotton  wood, black  willow,  boxelder.  hackberr.',  bitter 
nut,  liickory,  sweet  gum,  sycamore,  asli,  elm.  From  the 
Mississippi  Bluffs,  from  10  to  15  miles  in  extent  back, 
the  soil  Is  composed  of  1  ich  loam,  and  thickly  covered 
with  timber  ;  such  as  various  species  of  oak  and  hickory, 
willow,  poplar,  walnut, sassafras,  sweet  gum,  water  ash, 
persimmon,  beech,  honey  locust,  red  llowering  maple, 
hackberry,  sycamore,  iron  wood,  hornbeam,  chincapin, 
wildberry,  lime  tree  and  various  kinds  of  elm. 

The  Pine  Ridge,  eight  miles  to  the  north  of  Natchez, 
approaches  the  Mississippi,  within  one  mile. 

This  gro\vth  of  pine,  occupying  a  space  not  exceed- 
ing the  extent  of  ;20  square  miles,  is  in  this  place  a  re- 
ujarkable  phenomenon — ^^there  being  no  otlierjdace  with- 
in our  knowledge,  where  a  pine  growth  approaches  so 
near  the  Mississippi.  The  land,  w  Inch  is  excellent,  bears 
a  mixture  of  other  species  of  trees,'indicativeof  a  good 
soil.  A  distance  of  15  or  20  miles  intervenes  between 
this  tract  and  that  on  which  the  pine  growth  is  abundant. 
To  the  northeast  and  south,  the  pine  ridge  is  bounded 
by  the  banks  of  Fairchiid's  and  St.  Catherine's  creeks, 
and  to  the  west  is  the  Mississippi  bottom. 


17« 


MISSISSIPPI. 


The  undergrowth  consists  of  various  kinds  of  vinos 
and  Hlirubs,  common  wild  {^rapo,  muscarlino,  <logwood, 
spicewood,  pawpaw,  Spanish  mulberry,  great  cane. 

In  |)roceedin^  from  the  moutiis  of  Pearl  and  Pasra- 
ragoula  rivrrs,  on  the  Gulf  coast,  northwardly,  towards 
the  stateof  Tennessee,  the  first  hundred  miles  is  through 
forests  of  long  leafed  pine,  interspersed  with  cypress 
swamps  and  open  prairas  ;  the  surface  is  generally  level ; 
but  occasionally  variegated  by  broad  prominencies  and 
inundated  marshes.  The  soil,  though  generally  sandy, 
but  sometimes  gravelly,  is  bedded  on  a  marly  clay, 
which  is  supposed  to  contribute  much  to  its  fertility.  It 
produces  a  variety  of  fruits,  such  as  plumbs,  cherries, 
peaches,  figs,  sour  oranges  and  grapes  ;  also  cotton,  corn, 
indigo,  sugar  and  garden  vegetables. 

Further  to  the  north,  within  the  territory  of  the  Choc- 
laws,  Chickasaws  and  Cherokees,  tlie  surface  is  elevated 
and  undulating;  the  soil  a  deep  vegetable  mould  of  ex- 
ceeding fertility,  resembling  the  best  parts  of  Kentucky, 
but  more  rolling  and  broken  in  surface,  and  more  various 
in  ptoductiun.  T!ic  timber  growth  is  poplar,  hickory, 
black  walnut,  oak,  sugar  maple,  buckeye,  elm,  hackberry, 
&c. 

Part  of  this  tract,  bordering  on  the  Tennessee  river, 
extending  in  length  100  miles,  partly  in  Alabama,  by  the 
Muscle-Shoals,  and  about  40  miles  in  width,  north  and 
south,  is  considered  one  of  the  most  fertile  regions  in 
North  America.  It  reaches  the  navigable  waters  both  of 
the  Tennessee  and  Tombigbee,  is  plentifully  supplied 
with  pure  water.  The  climate  is  mild  and  salubrious. 
The  situation,  perhaps,  combines  more  natural  conve- 
niences and  facilities  for  good  living,  to  render  it  desir- 
able to  new  settlers,  than  any  spot  in  the  western  country. 


MlSftlSSIPPT. 


i73 


Tlic  long  leafed  pine  in  a  tall,  stately  trro,  from  60  fo 
80  i'iicU  clear  of  limbs.  This  growth  prevuiU  from  the 
Gulf  coast  to  the  northern  Choctaw  luMinclary. 

'I'hc  country  in  the  possession  of  the  Choctaws  am! 
Chickasaws,  abouiuls  in  rich  pruiras ;  of  which  the  lar- 
gest (on  the  route  from  the  former  to  the  latter  tribe)  i« 
spread  out  to  the  width  of  nearly  forty  miles. 

Almost  the  whole  region,  northwest  of  the  Vazoo,  be- 
tween the  Mississippi  and  the  Tennessee,  of  which  a 
«;reat  part  belongs  to  the  Chickasaw  nation,  is  formed 
into  a  beautiful  surface,  well  supplied  with  fine  water, 
and  covci'ed  with  a  deep,  rich  soil.  On  the  richest  up- 
lands, the  soil  is  deen  and  durable  ;  it  is  cither  of  a  dark 
or  an  ash  color.  The  rocks  and  stones  arc  calcareous, 
intermixed  with  flint,  sandstone  and  slate.  Swamps  are 
rare,  within  100  miles  south  of  Tennessee  river.  The 
cifpress  galls,  (so  called,)  the  poorest  species  of  land, 
have,  below  their  surface,  veins  of  a  remarkably  fine 
clay  :  it  is  delicate,  white,  soft  and  tenacious,  free  from 
gritty  particles,  and  fit  for  manufacturing  into  ware. 

Topographical. — One  mile  below  the  northeast  corner 
of  the  state,  where  fort  Pickering  formerly  stood,  is  the 
bank,  which  is  called  the  fourth  Chickasaw  Bluffii,  from 
Co  to  100  feet  high,  of  an  irregular  form,  sloping  in  some 
parts,  in  others  perpendicular.  Here  arc  about  a  dozen 
dwelling  houses,  on  an  elevated  airy  situation,  wliich 
would  afford  a  pleasant  site  for  a  town.  The  adjacent 
country  is  covered  by  a  lich  soil,  suitable  for  the  cultiva-« 
tion  of  cotton.  The  Chickasaws  own  the  land,  excepting 
a  imidl  tract  near  where  the  garrison  was  j  a  few  miles 
eastward  from  which,  they  now  occupy  a  considerable 
town,  and  are  not  disposed  to  relinquish  their  title.  This 
bluff  presents  a  front  of  10  miles  along  the  river,  parti/ 

p8 


mm 


174 


MISSISSIPPI. 


in  the  state  of  Tennessee     From  this  place  to  tlic  mouth 
of  the  Yaz.00,  there  are  bu*.  a  few  scattering  setdenieritrt. 

About  latitude  54°  north  is  the  limil,  northwardly,  to 
the  ran}>e  traversed  by  allij^ators.  Here  the  veg(;tahle 
kinji'dom  assumes  a  more  stately,  diversified  a!id  brilliant 
appearance.  The  splendid  magnolia  and  the  lolty  cy- 
press, unknown  to  the  hiid«lle  states,  stand  preeminent 
above  tlie  other  trees  of  the  forest,  and  the  cane  aiul  cot- 
ton plants  exhibit  a  more  vigorous  growtli  and  vivid  co- 
lor— the  impcivious  cane  brakes  overspivad  the  giound, 
and  tlie  Spanish  beard  is  suspended  in  festoons  Irom  the 
branches  of  trees. 

Ten  miles  below  tlie  Yazoo  river,  commence  tlie  Wal- 
nut hills;  die  surface  presenting  a  pleasant  undulatinii 
scenery  and  a  rich  soil.  Here  the  ruins  of  fort  M'He.i- 
ry  appear ;  near  which  are  several  fine,  spacious  cotton 
plantations. 

The  settlement  of  Palmyra  ts  occupied  by  New-Eng- 
land en>igrants,  25  miles  below  the  Walnut  hills. 

Twenty-seven  nules  below  this  place,  the  IVig  Black 
river  joins  the  Mississippi.  From  the  mouth  of  tlie  for- 
mer riv<  r,  tlie  settlements  are  extended  40  miles  up  ; 
/here  bilious  complaints,  proceeding  from  the  stagnation 
of  the  waters,  caused  by  the  back  current  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, ])rcvail.  Tv\()  miles  below  is  the  Grand  Gulf, 
which  though  it  inspires  inexjjerienced  boatmen  with  ter- 
lor,  is  slightly  regatded  by  »dd  coasters.  The  mouth  of 
bayou  Pierre  appeals  ten  miles  below.  The  health  of 
the  borderiijfi;  settlements,  is  much  exposed,  b^  the  con- 
finement of  the  waters  in  this  stream,  from  t!ie  pressure 
of  the  Mississippi  floods. 

In  this  region  the  wotuls  are  enlivened  by  various  spe- 
cies of  birds.    The  pigeons,  iu  certain  seasons,  are  so 


MISSISSIPPI. 


175 


plpntiful  as  to  darken  the  air,  in  a  manner,  by  their  ex- 
tensive flocks.  Parotiuets  and  wild  turkeys  are  abun- 
dant; and  in  winter  the  water  fowls  are  numerous. 

Port  Gibson  lies  about  SO  miles  up  tlie  Pierre.  It  is 
the  principal  town  of  Claiborne  county,  and  contains 
about  00  houses  and  a  flourishing  academy. 

Jhuutshuv;^,  containing  four  or  live  houses,  is  two 
miles  from  Bayou  Pierre. 

GreenviUp,  the  capital  of  Jefterson  coui+y,  is  1.)  miles 
from  the  Mississippi,  pleasantly  situated  on  a  dry,  sandy 
plain,  by  the  middle  branch  of  Coles'  creek.  It  contains 
about  70  houses,  a  court  house,  post  office  and  several 
stores,  and  is  surrounded  by  a  fertile,  well  culiivated 
country. 

JS'atchez,  in  the  county  of  Adams,  is  situated  on  the 
Mississippi,  3tl\  miles  from  New -Orleans.  It  is  the  niost 
populous  and  commercial  town  in  the  state.  In  1810, 
it  containH<]  1511  inhabitants;  at  present,  1819,  about 
TiOOO.  The  town  stands  upon  a  bluff",  elevated  150  feet 
about  the  surface  of  the  river.  An  intervening  hill  pre- 
wtits  the  river  from  being  seen  at  the  town,  the  site  of 
vliich  is  very  uneven.  It  contain  <  a  court  house,  jail,  a 
market  Iiou^e.bank,  an  academy ,t wo  printing  oflices,  from 
each  of  which  is  issued  a  weekly  newspaper,  and  two 
houses  of  public  worship,  one  Roman  Catholic  and  one 
Presbyterian.  There  are  some  elegant  houses,  but  they 
are  mostly  of  wood,  and  only  one  story.  The  gardenn 
are  ornanientrd  with  orange  trees,  figs,  plumbs,  peaches 
and  graj)es.  Sea  vessels  have  ofteji  traversed  the  Miv 
sis^sippi  as  far  as  Natchez,  before  steam  boats  were  in- 
troduced. This  town  was  ^A'ttled  by  the  French  in  1729, 
but  the  first  inhabitants  vcre  all  massacred  by  the  Nat- 
chez tiibe  of  Indians ;  most  of  whom,  in  their  tun  ,  wert 


476 


MISSISSIPPI. 


soon  afte»'  attacked  and  destroyed  in  their  secluded  re- 
tre.at  on  tlic  banks  of  the  Tensaw,  by  the  French. 

Washington  is  situated  on  St.  Catharine's  creek,  eight 
miles  east  fnnn  Natchez.,  in  Adams  county.  It  has  been 
the  seat  of  government  for  Mississippi  territory  fifteen 
years.  It  contains  a  population  of  about  1000,  and  is 
surrounded  by  some  of  the  most  wealthy  and  popuhnis 
settlements  in  the  state.  Wasliinj^ton  aft'ortis  adeliglit- 
ful  an<l  salubrious  s'.'.mmer  residence.  The  water  is 
excellent,  and  the  adjacent  country  is  aj^reeably  diver- 
sified by  a  gently  undulating  surface,  where  are- no  stag- 
nant  waters. 

T/je  White  T/t^s  composed  of  white  clay,  and  strongly 
resembling  chalk,  arc  o!ie  mile  below  Cutharinc^s  creek. 

The  Homochitta,  a  small  beautiful  river,  joins  the 
Mississippi  27  miles  below.  It  is  60  yard»  wide,  and 
its  branches  interweave  witl.  tiiose  of  the  Amite.  This 
river  is  at  present  considered  as  the  northern  boundary 
of  the  sugar  region.  Mo*t  kinds  of  tropical  fruits  flourish 
here,  such  as  the  ^eet  orange,  guinea  corn,  potnegranate, 
ginger  and  figs. 

Loftiis'  Heights  present  themselves  eight  miles  lielow, 
and  are  elevated  150  feet  above  the  level  of  the  Missis- 
sippi. The  line  of  f/pmflrcfl^loN,  run  by  Andrew  Ellicot, 
in  1796,  as  a  boundary  betv.een  the  Unitetl  States  and 
West  Florida,  is  at  present  the  dividing  line  between  the 
state  of  Mississippi  and  Louisiana,  to  Pearl  river. 

Monticello,  on  Pearl  river,  in  Lawrence  county,  is  tli* 
preseit  seat  of  government  for  the  state  of  Mississippi. 
It  has  recently  been  settled,  and  is  situated  in  51°  33'  N. 
lat.aid  13°  W.  long,  on  dry,  elevated  ground,  where  tl»e 
site  \f»  pleasant  and  the  air  salubrious. 


"'^ 


MISSISSIPPI. 


177 


d  re- 

,eiglife 

1  ft  con 
a»ul  is 


The  Miosisolp|il  territor3%  of  which  the  state  of  Mis- 
sissippi is  the  western  half,  contained  in  1810,  40,352 
inliabitants  ;  and  in  1816,  75,610,  of  whom  30,540  were 
>.laves. 

T!^e  following  table  presents  the  counties,  population 
aiwl  chief  towns  in  the  state,  as  they  stood  in  181^. 
Counties.         ropulatiou.         Chief  Towns. 
Adams  3,998  Natchez. 

Liberty 
Port  Gibson 


Amite 

• 

5,059 

('laiborne 

3,506 

Franklin 

2,708 

(ireenc 

1  roi 

1      |«       4*lri   A 

Hancock 

1,000 

Jeffeison 

4,906 

Lawrence 

1,784 

Marion 

1,701 

JKike 

2,618 

\Varrv>n 

1,569 

Wayne 

2,084 

Wilkinson 

7,275 

Grpenville 
Monticcllo 

Jacksonville 
Warren 
A\'iiiche^<ter 
Vi'ij^dville 
Of  this  popi'.hition  21,275  were  slaves. 
I'egetahlt'  ^iilncliuna. — Few  regions  on  the  globe,  it 
IS  (OBceivt'd,  exliibit  a  greater  variety  of  timber  growth, 
or  of  vegetaUK'  productions,  than  the  state  od  Mississippi. 
Tlie  country  adj;icent  to  Natc'iez  abounds  in  aumlwrless 
'pecies  of  herbaceous  plants,  of  which  many  contain 
medicinal  virtues.     Cotton,  tobacco,  indigo,  liidian  corn, 
[the  Various  kinds  of  small  grain,  sweet  and  Irish  potatoes, 
and  a  great  variety  of  other  vegetables,  are  cultivated 
*iih  success.    Apples,  peaches,  pears,  figs,  pomegranates, 
plumbs,  grapes  and  oranges  are  alw>  found  to  flourish, — 
yh\  tliif  entire  surface  of  the  state,  cotton  can  be  pro<lu- 
IH  as  a  staple  j    while  almost  every  other  plant,  whicK 


iy 


178 


MISSISSIPPI. 


aftbrds  a  convonient  and  desirable  subsistence  for  man, 
grows  plentifully. 

We  deem  it  not  irrelevant  to  add  a  few  remarks  on 
tlie  subterranean  basis  of  the  country.  At  Loftus' heights 
aj)|)ear,  in  descending  the  river,  the  last  strata  of  stone, 
consisting  of  breccia,  or  pudding  stone,  visible  only  when 
the  river  is  very  low  ;  and  is  of  the  same  species  wliirh 
forms  the  base  of  the  blufts  from  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio 
downwards.  It  consists  principally  of  s^licious  pebbles, 
mixed  with  various  petrifactions,  and  is  cemented  by  ar- 
gillaceous matter,  strongly  impregnated  with  iron  ore: 
waters  passing  over  or  through  it,  though  apparently  lim- 
pid, are  not  reckoned  salutary.  It  is  believed  l!»at  this 
species  of  rock  forms  the  basis  of  the  largest  portion  of 
the  lands  on  the  Mississippi,  below  the  Ohio. 

The  Cllmufe  oi'  i\\e  state  of  Mississippi,  witli  the  cx- 
cej)tion  of  places  on  and  contiguous  to  ovLn'flowiii:,^ 
streams,  where  tlie  waters  become  stagnant,  maybe  con- 
sidered salubrious.  The  country,  from  the  mouth  «  f  tlie 
Vaz-oo  to  the  3ist  degree  of  north  latitude,  is  most  ai!- 
vantiigeously  situated  :  there  are  no  stagnant  pools  ncr 
marshy  lauds  ;  and  the  water  is  excellent.  Health  h  i\^ 
prevale'it  here  as  in  any  region  of  the  same  pivrallel  ol 
latitude.  The  seasons  are  agreeable,  parti(  ularly  ini- 
tumn  and  winter.  We  know  of  no  place  where  the  wea- 
ther is  more  pleasant,  from  September  to  Aiall.  The 
undulating  surface  of  the  ground  prevents  the  bad  efl't'ci« 
of  drenching  rains  on  the  roads  ;  which,  in  tins  part  ol 
tlie  state,  are  in  acc^dition  which  renders  the  travellini: 
not  inconvenient.  It  is  rare  here,  that  tiie  traveller  i- 
long  interrupted  by  the  flooding  of  the  streams.  In  the 
northern  and  eastern  states,  there  are  no  gcisons  w!iiil! 
correspond  with  the  winters  of  Georgia,  Louisiana,  Ala- 


MISSISSIPPI. 


170 


bama  and  Mississippi ;  where  they  aic  generally  very 
11)11(1.  The  seasons  here,  when  health  is  most  precarior  s 
arc  the  summer  and  ihe  early  part  of  autumn.  Every 
climate  has  diseases  peculiar  to  itself.  The  lieat  of  sum- 
mer, particulaly  in  warm  climates,  accoinpaniefl  with  nox- 
ious exhalations,  produce  bilious  complaints,  in  various 
forms  ;  and  cold,  moist  climates  hrinj^  on  catai  rh,  asthma, 
rheumatism  and  consumption.  Hut  it  is  remarkable,  that 
the  latter  complaints  are  rarely  known  south  of  35°  north 
latitude.  Indeed  there  are  few  states  in  the  union,  so 
highly  favored  as  that  of  Mississippi,  in  point  of  soil  and 
climate  :  the  variety  being  greater  in  each  of  these,  than 
in  any  other  state,  except  Georgia.  Fronting  exten- 
sively on  the  Mississippi,  tlie  great  highway  and  outlet 
for  the  productions  from  a  thousand  tributary  streams, 
that  intersect  the  country  for  more  than  twenty  degrees 
to  the  north,  and  nearly  thirty  from  east  to  west,  the  state 
r)f  Mississippi  occupies  a  most  important  position.  The 
climate  being  temperate,  and  most  of  the  surface  elevat<>d 
and  salubrious,  few  regions,  so  extensive,  at!*ord  greater 
natural  means  for  the  permanent  prosperity  of  human  so- 
ciety. 

/nrfmns.— -Three  tribes  of  Indians,  the  Chickasaws, 
Cherokees,  and  Choctaws,  reside  within  the  state  of 
Mississippi.  The  nation  of  Chickasaws  consists  of  about 
5,800  ;  of  which,  1800  are  warriors.  They  are  the  pro- 
prietors of  several  millions  of  acres  of  excellent  land, 
lying  between  Tennessee  and  Mississippi  rivers  ;  besides 
4  reserved  tracts,  from  one  to  four  miles  square.  They 
have  always  professed  the  strongest  frien<lship  for  the 
United  States;  and  their  fidelity  has,  on  trying  occa- 
sions, prove<l  unquestionable.  Some  of  the  Chickasaw 
chiefs  own  many  negro  slaves,  aud  annually  make  sale  of 


180 


wissisjiiri'i. 


hundretis  of  horned  cattle  and  hoj^s.  This  nation  occu- 
pies Qv^ht  towns,  and  have  attained  to  a  considerable  de- 
cree of  ci\ili7,ation. 

The  Chcrokees  arc  still  more  numerous  ;  their  popii- 
lation  bcinf^  f;stin\ated  at  14,500  souls;  of  whom  4000 
are  warriors.  They  possess  a  spacious  tract,  situated 
cast  of  lands  owned  by  the  Chickasaws,  on  the  south  side 
of  the  Tennessee,  am)  between  that  river  and  the  head 
branches  of  the  Tombi^bee. 

Tlie  Cherokees  have  made  considerable  proj^rcss  in  a 
knowledge  of  the  useful  arts  ;  particularly  in  the  manu- 
facture of  cotton  and  woollen  clotli.  Cotton,  and  indi- 
go for  dying  their  yarn,  they  raise.  They  possess  more 
tlian  500  looms  of  their  own  workmansliip,  and  have 
learned  the  art  of  weaving  skilfully.  They  possess  up- 
wards of  500  ploughs,  which  they  employ  in  tiie  cultiva- 
tion of  their  lands.  They  own  large  stocks  of  cattle  and 
horses  ;  they  have  also  many  swine  and  some  sheep,  aiul 
a  plenty  of  poultry. 

Thus  supplied  abundantly  with  the  means  of  good  liv- 
ing, their  tribes  are  increasing  in  numbers.  By  the 
scliools  which  have  been  established  among  them,  their 
children  have  been  taught  to  read  and  write.  Their  pro- 
gress in  ac(|uiring  the  elements  of  science,  has  fully 
ecpialled  that  of  the  vfhites,  with  the  same  means  of  learn- 
ing. Nature  having  endowed  their  persons  with  the  most 
complete  forms,  can  it  be  doubted  that  tlieir  Creator 
would  impart  to  them  correspondent  intellectual  facul- 
ties ?  Man}-^  of  the  men,  and  all  the  women,  have  adopt- 
e<l  the  modes  of  dress  worn  by  the  whites.  Among  the 
rich  are  some  who  are  diessed  in  costly  apparel.  Their 
persons  are  kept  remarkably  clean  and  neat.  Cherokee 
women  have  been  known  to  refuse  wliite  suitors  for  bus- 


MISSISSIPPI. 


181 


occu- 
>lc  (le- 

popu- 

11  4000 
ituatc<l 
All  side 
le  head 

CSS  in  a 
c  inanu- 
iid  iiuli- 
89  more 
ntl  have 
isess  up- 
cuUiva- 
attle  and 
ecp,  and 

P;o(kI  liv- 
By  tlie 
,  their 
\eir  pro- 
as fully 
oflearn- 
the  most 
Creator 
al  facul- 
adopt- 
the 
Their 


m 


mwnfc, 


:herokee 
for  hus- 


bands, because  they  were  uncleanly  in  their  persons. 
Their  numerous  streams  of  pure  water,  aftord  them  faci- 
lities for  bathing,  which  they  are  in  the  censtant  habit  of 
practising.  All  can  swim  ;  a  faculty  which  enables  them 
conveniently  to  cross  the  large  streams  which  meander 
through  their  hunting  grounds.  The  females  are  protect- 
ed with  great  delicacy,  from  all  impertinent  intrusions, 
when  they  go  in  to  bathe.  These  Indians  display  great 
hospitality  in  their  houses  ;  and  their  bravery  was  ad- 
mired by  those  who  acted  with  them,  in  the  late  war 
ngainst  the  hostile  Creeks.  Nearly  one  half  of  the  Che- 
rokees  are  of  mixed  blood,  by  intermarriages  with  the 
whites.  Some  of  the  full-blooded  descendants  from  the 
aborigines,  have  good  complexions.  The  Cherokees 
universally  believe  in  one  God  :  they  call  him  the  Great 
Spirit :  they  speak  of  him  with  grrat  reverence :  in  their 
opinion,  his  attributes  are  goodness  and  powor.  Their 
language  furnishes  no  terms,  a  combination  of  which  is 
expressive  of  profanity  towards  the  Greet  Spi-it. 

The  Choctaws  are  more  numerous  than  ti;<»  Cherokees. 
They  occupy  the  lands  between  the  Yazoo  and  Tombig- 
bee,  and  the  parallels  of  31°  and  34°  north.  The  banks 
of  the  Chickasaka,  Yazoo,  Pascagoula  and  Pearl  rivers, 
are  inhabited  by  them.  They  have  several  neat  public 
inns,  for  the  accommodation  of  travellers.  Much  of 
their  lands  are  timbertd  with  pine ;  but  a  considerable 
part  is  rich,  the  surface  waving,  and  the  growth  lr>.kory, 
poplar,  &c.  They  possess  many  large  farms,  in  a  good 
state  of  cultivation;  and  several  of  them  are  employ^ad, 
most  of  their  time,  in  agricultural  pursuits.  In  timts 
past,  they  occupied  43  towns  and  villages,  containing 
about  12,000  souls,  of  which  4000  were  warriors.  It  is 
supposed,  at  present,  their  ti'ibe  is  considerably  moie 
numerous.  Q 


r^'^'fmmwnmimtm 


V  »m I.I  II J  Jill v^m^miimmmii^imimmmitlliKli 


18S 


MISSISSIPPI. 


Animals. — Although  game  is  not  abuixlaiit,  deer,  bears, 
wolves,  panthers,  wild  cats,  foxes,  ground  hogs  and  squir- 
rels, are  to  be  found  ranging  in  the  forests  bordering  on 
the  Mississippi. 

The  Salamander  is  of  the  size  and  form  of  tlie  com- 
mon rat,  the  head  and  teeth  resembling  those  of  a  sfjuir- 
rel,  and  the  eye  small,  like  the  mole.  This  animal  bur- 
rows horizontally  in  the  ground  ;  its  food  is  supposed  to 
b^  the  bark  of  fine  roots.  It  is  a  night-walker,  for  it 
roams  not  in  the  dayl  Its  jaws  are  strong,  and  its  teeth 
sharp,  with  which  severe  wounds  are  sometimes  inflicted. 
These  animals  have  their  habitations  near  the  Gulf  coast. 

The  Alligator  is  found  in  streams  south  of  lat.  32°—- 
when  full  grown,  he  is  from  15  to  20  feet  long,  and  his 
body  sometimes  as  large  as  a  horse  :  he  is  armed  with  a 
kind  of  coat  of  mail,  composed  of  scales,  which  on  the 
back  are  so  hard  as  to  be  almost  impenetrable  to  a  rifle 
ball.  The  female  deposits  her  eggs  where  she  scratches 
a  hole  in  the  dry  sand,  and  covers  them  over,  and  here 
ends  the  provident  care  for  her  young;  which, after  be- 
ing hatched  from  the  eggs  by  the  warmth  of  the  sun, 
provide  for  themselves.  The  jaws  of  this  creature  are 
very  stout,  and  the  teeth  strong  and  irregular.  Their 
prey,  if  once  seized  on,  is  never  suffered  to  escape :  if 
large,  it  is  drowned  in  the  w*ter ;  if  small,  it  is  devoured 
on  the  shore ; — they  often  abstain  from  eating  the  ani- 
mals tJiey  kill,  until  they  become  putrid  in  th:i  water.— 
Tlwy  may  be  found  basking  on  the  shore,  or  on  logs, 
^here  they  sleep.  On  the  approach  of  rain,  they  make 
A  most  terrifying  rear,  which  resembles  distant  thunder. 
When  attacked  at  a  distance  from,  water,  they  defend 
themselves  vigorously  to  the  last  extremity. 


^mm 


wmm 


MISSISSIPPI. 


183 


The  Murena  Siren  resembles  an  eel  in  form,  being 
about  two  feet  long.  By  perforating  the  mill-dams  of 
rice  planters  in  the  night,  it  does  much  injury  in  drain- 
ing off  the  water.  It  has  a  tliin,  tough  skin,  covered  with 
fine  scales  of  a  dark  brown  color ;  a  small  mouth  with 
sharp  teeth ;  two  short  legs,  near  the  head,  furnished 
each  with  four  toes  and  claws,  by  which  it  penetrates 
mud  and  water  with  facility.  The  parting  of  the  male 
IVom  the  female,  intiuces  them  to  expiess  their  discon- 
tent, by  a  noise  which  resembles  the  howling  of  a  puppy. 
It  is  supposed  they  feed  on  frogs,  water  lizards  and  mud- 
worms. 

The  Qouffre  inhabits  the  pine  barrens,  mostly  under 
ground,  except  when  in  quest  of  food  and  water.  It  is 
supposed  to  live  on  vegetable  food.  It  wears  a  shell  15 
feet  long,  and  12  inches  wide.  Its  strength  is  so  great, 
as  to  enable  it  to  carry  a  man  standing  on  its  back.  It 
burrows  in  the  ground  about  ten  feet  deep.  Its  young 
are  brought  forth  in  the  manner  of  the  loggerhead  turtle, 
which  it  resembles.  It  protects  itself  from  injury  by 
closing  its  shell,  and  is  rarely  found  a  great  distance 
from  its  den. 


OffO 


ALABiVMA. 


The  state  of  Alabama  is  formed  from  the  westeni  por- 
tion of  the  late  Mississippi  territory,  and  contains  the 
greater  part  of  the  valley  of  Mobile,  and  most  of  the 
lands  bordering  on  the  streams  which  enter  the  bay  of 
Mobile,  besides  some  of  the  lands  contiguous  to  the  Ten- 
nessee and  the  Pascagoula.  Alabama  was  incorporated 
as  a  territory  in  1817,  and  in  1819  was  erected  into  a 
state.  The  boundaries,  as  pt  escribed  by  act  of  Congress, 
are  ?s  follow  :  Beginning  at  the  point,  where  the  line 
of  the  thirty-first  degree  of  north  latitude  intersects  the 
Perdido  river ;  thence  east  to  the  western  boundary  line 
of  the  state  of  Georgia  ;  thence  along  said  line  to  the 
southern  boundary  line  of  the  state  of  Tennessee  ; 
thence  west,  along  said  boundary  line,  to  the  Tennessee 
river  ;  thence  up  the  same,  to  the  mouth  of  Bear  creek  ; 
thence  by  a  direct  line  to  the  northwest  corner  of  Wash- 
ington county ;  thence  due  south  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico ; 
thence  eastwardly,  including  all  the  islands  within  six 
leagues  of  the  shore,  to  the  Perdido  river;  and  thence  up 
the  same  to  the  bef'i  :•  ^q; :  between  latitude  30°  12'  and 


55°  north  :  in  lengt  (,  mo-z  than  330  miles,  and  in  breadth, 
about  160  ;  containi'.j-  .bout  46,000  square  miles.  The 
soil,  climate  and  vegetable  productions  of  this  state,  are 
greatly  diversified.    Bordering  the  whole  widtli  od  the 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


fe 


Sir 


:a 


(/. 


^ 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


«-  liitt 


2.2 


1.4 


12.0 


1.8 


1.6 


Va 


^ 


/a 


.% 


/a 


e^l 


^y  ^^^ 


'/ 


M 


Photographic; 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(/16)  872-4503 


\ 


"Q 


V 


^^ 


V 


i^^ 


\ 


:\ 


\ 


'% 


^^  V^q\ 


^>. 


4^  $> 


u. 


9 
\ 


% 


186 


ALABAMA. 


Tennessee,  furnished  with  a  considerable  inlet  from  the 
ocean,  by  Mobile  Bay,  intersected  with  rivers  extensive- 
ly navigable,  and  containing  a  large  body  of  excellent 
land,  Alabama,  both  as  it  respects  the  objects  of  agri- 
culture and  commerce,  presents  to  emigrants  a  local 
position  extremely  eligible. 

Face  of  the  countrij,  soil,  Sfc. — The  following  geo- 
graphical sketches,  which  were  communicated  in  the 
public  newspapers,  by  Mr.  W.  Roberts,  one  of  the  pub- 
lic surveyors,  is  considered  a  more  correct  account  of 
the  country  intersected  by  the  Alabama,  and  its  tributa- 
ries, the  Tallapoosa  and  Coosa,  than  any  yet  published. 
The  communication  will  therefore  be  given  in  the  words 
of  that  author,  who  drafted  it  chiefly  from  personal  obser- 
vation : 

"  At  the  present  period,  when  the  spirit  of  emigration 
to  the  late  erected  territory  [now  state]  prevails,  a  cor- 
rect topographical  description  of  any  part  of  it,  cannot 
fail  to  be  acceptable. 

"  Having  been  engaged,  for  a  considerable  time  past, 
in  surveying  public  lands,  in  several  parts  of  the  late 
Creek  cession,  the  account  here  offered  is  chiefly  the  re- 
sult of  actual  observation,  aided  b}^  information,  derived 
from  other  surveyors. 

•*The  Alabama  is  known  to  be  the  principal  river,  flowing 
through  this  country.  Its  general  course  from  its  head 
or  junction  of  the  Coosa  and  Tallapoosa  to  ^ts  junction 
\vith  the  Tombigbee,  is  nearly  southwest ;  but  in  its 
coilrse  hither,  it  makes  one  remarkable  bend,  and  two 
others  of  less  note. 

**From  the  junction  of  Coosa  and  Tallapoosa  rivers,  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Caliaba,  a  distance  by  land  of  about 
60  miles,  the  river  runs  but  a  little  fiuuth  of  west ;  thence 


ALABAMA. 


187 


to  the  Alabama  heights,  or  Fort  Claiborne,  bj  land  60 
or  70  miles,  its  course  is  but  a  little  west  of  south  ; 
tlience  to  the  junction  with  the  Tombigbee,  about  60 
miles  further,  its  course  is  nearly  southwest ;  from  this 
point  to  the  Mobile,  distant  about  40  miles,  the  river  runs 
nearly  south  again.  Fort  Claiborne  is  at  the  head  of 
schooner  navigation.  Lirge  boats  ascend  from  thence 
up  to  Fort  Jackson,  by  the  Coosa  river.  Tlie  distance 
to  Fort  Jackson,  by  the  Tallapoosa  river,  is  five  miles 
less  than  by  the  Coosa,  and  the  navigation  throughout 
the  winter  and  spring  is  good.  In  dry  seasons,  however, 
there  is  not  sufficient  depth  of  water  for  Alabama  boats. 
The  Coosa  river  has  a  fine,  deep  channel  from  its  mouth, 
three  miles  by  land  below  Fort  Jackson,  up  to  Wetumka, 
on  the  Great  Shoals,  five  miles  above  the  fort.  Here,  in 
the  present  state  of  things,  we  may  reckon  the  head  of 
navigation  on  this  river.  From  the  Falls,  this  river  is 
the  Indian  boundary  up  to  the  mouth  of  Wills  creek,  120 
miles,  or  thereabouts. 

*'  Tallapoosa  is  ravigable,  except  in  dry  seasons,  up 
to  the  Great  Falls,  a  few  miles  above  Tookabache,  and 
about  35  miles  above  Fort  Jackson.  From  the  Falls 
ilown  to  Fort  Jackson,  the  general  course  of  the  Talla- 
poosa is  nearly  west. 

"  The  waters  in  these  rivers,  particularly  the  Talla- 
poosa and  Alabama,  are  subject  to  remarkable  periodical 
elevations  and  depressions,  owing  entirely  to  this  cir- 
cumstance :  Many  of  their  tributary  streams,  originally 
in,  and  passing  through  a  country  founded  on  a  bed  of 
limestone,  ai^  large  and  respectable  water  courses,  in 
the  winter  and  spring  ;  but  in  the  fall  months,  become 
perfectly  dry.  In  the  Alabama  and  Coosa,  however, 
there  is  always  sufficient  depth  of  water  for  boating. 


188 


ALABAMA. 


"Proceeding  southwardly  along  the  boundary  line, 
from  the  mouth  of  Lime  creek,  and  up  the  same  towards 
Chatahoocha,  at  the  distance  of  about  40  miles  from  Tal- 
lapoosa, we  come  to  the  ridge  separating  the  waters  of 
Tallapoosa  and  Alabama  from  those  of  Conecuh  and 
Escambia.  This  ridge  proceeds  westwardly,  in  a  direc- 
tion nearly  parallel  with  the  rivers  Tallapoosa  and  Ala- 
bama. But  bending  less  to  the  south,  it  approximates 
very  fast  towards  the  river,  below  its  bend,  near  the 
mouth  of  Cahaba,  and  becoming  less  elevated  and  dis- 
tinct, it  is  finally  cut  oif  by  the  grand  sweep  of  the  river, 
along  the  Alabama  heights. 

"  This  tract  of  country,  bounded  on  the  north  and  west 
by  the  river,  on  the  east  by  the  boundary  line,  and  on  the 
south  by  the  ridge,  is  probably  the  largest  body  of  good 
land  to  be  found  any  where  within  the  limits  of  the 
treaty,  south  of  Tennessee  river.  It  comprehends  an 
area  of  60  townships,  or  about  2000  square  miles,  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  which  is  of  tlie  first  quality :  there 
is  but  little  of  it  that  will  fall  below  the  rank  of  second 
quality.  About  one-half  of  the  townships,  now  oft'ered 
for  sale,  lie  in  this  district. 

"  The  river  cane  bottom  land,  we  suppose  to  be  equal 
in  fertility  to  any  on  the  continent,  and  may  average  in 
width  a  half  or  three-quarters  of  a  mile ;  the  river  wind- 
ing through  it  in  a  serpentine  course,  and  leaving  the 
cane  land  sometimes  on  this  side,  and  sometimes  on  that: 
the  outside  of  the  swamp,  Joining  the  high  lands,  as  in 
most  rivers,  is  low,  wet,  and  cut  up  with  ponds  and  la- 
goons. Next  to  the  river  swamp,  and  elevated  above  it 
by  a  bluff  from  10  to  15  feet  in  height,  we  enter  upon  an 
extensive  body  of  level,  rich  land,  of  fine  black  or  cho- 
colate colored  soil.    Tlie  principal  growth  is  hickory, 


\LABAMA. 


189 


black  oak  and  post  oak ;  dogwood  and  poplar  are  also 
common,  but  pine  timber  is  rather  scarce.  This  portion 
of  land  is  interspersed  with  reed  marshes,  out  of  which 
issue  constant  running  water,  and  also  in  many  places, 
Avith  flat,  wet  weather  ponds,  holding  water  in  winter 
and  becoming  dry  in  summer  ;  after  this  comes  in  the 
prairas.  These  are  wide  spreading  plains  of  a  level  or 
gently  waving  land,  without  timber,  clothed  in  grass, 
herbage  and  flowers,  insulated  by  narrow  skirts  of  rich 
interval  woodland  ;  and  exhibiting,  in  the  month  of  May 
the  most  enchanting  scenery  imaginable.  The  soil  is 
generally  of  a  fine  black,  rich  cast,  and  has  the  appearance 
of  great  fertility.  Should  they  prove  to  be  as  productive 
as  the  soil  promises,  they  will  be  of  great  value,  as  the 
expense  and  labor  of  clearing  them  will  be  saved,  and 
the  soil  being  of  such  a  quality  as  will  not  wash  away, 
the  land  must  be  very  durable.  These  prairas  extend 
nearly,  or  quite  to  the  ridge  ;  and  as  the  country  is  open, 
dry  and  airy,  it  promises  to  be  healthy.  The  only  ob- 
jection to  this  part  of  the  country  seems  to  be  the  want 
of  water.  This  inconvenience,  however,  may  probably 
be  removed,  to  a  considerable  extent,  by  digging  wells. 
This  observation  applies  to  most  of  the  tract  within  the 
limits  mentioned,  except  the  land  immediately  on  the 
river,  and  distant  from  it  from  one  to  three  miles.  In 
tliis  range  there  is  an  abundance  of  cool  and  pleasant 
spring  water,  issuing  from  the  bluffs  and  reedy  heads 
already  mentioned.  Several  large  creeks  water  this 
district,  which  will  afford  good  winter  navigation  for 
smgll  boats,  of  suflicient  size  to  transport  the  produce 
of  the  incumbent  farms  to  the  river.  The  principal  of 
these  are  the  Catoma,  Pinkohna,  Pophlahla,  and  Big 
Swamp  creek,  all  of  which  afford  extensive  bottoms  of 


m 


ALABAMA. 


rich  cane  brake,  and  beecli  swamp.  Families  living  on 
and  near  the  river,  except  in  select  places,  will  be  subject 
to  intermittent  bilious  fevers;  but  they  have  hitherto  ap- 
peared to  be  of  a  mild  type. 

"  Aftei-  passing  the  ridge,  we  enter  into  a  country  of 
very  different  character  and  features  from  that  just  no- 
ticed. It  is  generally  pine  land,  intersected  with  innu- 
merable creeks,  rivulets,  and  branches,  runniig  south- 
wardly into  the  bay  of  Escambia.  The  head  waters  of 
Conecuh,  which  is  the  principal  river  emptying  into  the 
bay,  spread  out  over  a  large  extent  of  country.  Tlie 
creeks  and  branches  have  wide  swamps,  and  are  in  gen- 
eral, too  low  and  wet  for  cultivation.  They  abound  in 
the  finest  timber,  particularly  white  oak,  of  a  superior 
growth,  swamp  red  oak,  of  an  uncommon  size  and  beauty, 
beech,  maple,  poplar,  gum  and  cypress.  The  under 
growth  is  reed  and  cane,  palmettos,  rattan,  grape  vines 
and  china  brier.  These  swamps  afford  the  finest  stock 
range  imaginable,  particularly  for  hogs ;  as  besides  the 
immense  quantity  of  oak  and  beech  mast,  there  is  a  great 
variety  and  plenty  of  ground  nuts  and  roots,  easily  at- 
tainable in  the  soft  soil  or  mud  of  those  swamps. 

"  On  the  margins  of  the  creeks  there  are  generally 
found  stnps  of  good  land,  from  a  quarter  io  half  a  mile 
wide.  In  places  it  is  very  rich,  bearing  oak,  hickory,  ash, 
and  sometimes  walnut  trees. 

«  Next  to  this  is  very  often  found  a  skirt  of  rich  pine 
land,  dark  mulatto  soil,  with  hickory,  buckeye  and  shrub* 
bery,  characteristic  of  rich  land. 

"  From  this  kind  of  land  there  is  a  gradual  declination 
to  the  poor  pine  woods.  On  the  heads  of  the  numerous 
branches  of  Conecuh,  approaching  the  ridge,  there  is  a 
skirt  of  oak  and  hickory  land,  five  or  six  miles,  running 


m 


ALABAMA. 


iOl 


paiallel  vvitli  tlie  ridge.  The  soil  is  mostly  of  a  free,  soft, 
gray  quality ;  sometimes  it  is  found  rich,  strong  and  red, 
clotlied  with  an  agreeable  mixture  of  oak,  hickory,  pine, 
poplar,  ash,  chesnut,  dogwood,  &,c. 

"The  Sepulgas,  Burnt  Corn,  and  Murder  creeks,  lying 
more  to  the  west,  it  is  said,  aftbrd  larger  bodies  of  good 
land  than  Conecuh ;  tiiere  are  none,  however,  so  far  as 
we  can  learn,  very  extensive  on  any  of  these  waters. 

"  Of  the  extent  of  the  navigation  of  Conecuh,  we  have 
no  satisfactory  account.  The  surveyors,  however,  who 
ran  the  parallel  townships  from  the  Spanish  line  progres- 
sively to  the  north,  or  up  the  river,  found  it  no  where 
passable  with  their  horses,  witliin  50  miles  of  the  Spanish 
line,  without  swimming  their  horses  and  constructing 
rafts  for  their  packs.  They  report  it  to  be  a  fine  deep 
channel,  with  a  slow  eddy  current.  At  a  distance  of 
about  50  or  60  miles  above  the  line  of  demarcation,  it 
divides  into  two  large  creeks ;  and  here  is  probably  the 
head  of  boat  navigation.  The  whole  tract  of  country  is 
abundantly  supplied  with  perennial  springs  of  excellent 
water.  Your  approach  to  the  water  is  always  announ- 
ced by  the  wide  spreading  cane  brakes,  which  uniformly 
cover  the  wet  bottoms  of  all  the  branches,  and  atford  an 
almost  inexhaustible  range  for  cattle. 

"  No  country  affords  a  better  prospect  of  health.  From 
the  nature  of  the  soil,  however,  the  population  must  bii 
thin. 

"  Of  the  mineral  productions  of  this  country,  the  most 
remarkable  is  the  large  quantity  of  stone,  having  the 
appearance  of  volcanic  lava,  lying  in  broken  fragments, 
covering  the  tops  and  sides  of  many  of  the  hills  compo- 
sing the  ridge,  exhibiting  evident  marks  of  having  once 
been  in  a  state  of  fusion.    There  are  also  several  places 


108 


ALABAMA. 


on  the  head  branches  of  the  Conecuh,  where  there  are 
indications  of  iron  ore,  in  considerable  quantities ;  and 
judging  of  its  weight,  and  feruginous  aspect,  it  is  pro- 
bably rich. 

"Among  the  small  prairies,  in  the  western  extremities  of 
their  range,  there  are  inexhaustible  (juarries  of  limestone, 
or  solid  blocks  of  hard,  white,  calcareous  rock.  By  burn- 
ing a  piece  of  this  stone  in  a  blacksmith's  forge,  and 
slacking  it,  we  found  it  to  effervesce  rapidly,  and  to 
make  strong  and  beautiful  lime.  Among  this  limestone, 
there  are  also  found  many  testaceous  petrifactions,  par- 
ticularly the  oyster,  clam,  and  cockle  shells ;  some  of 
which  are  remarkably  large,  retaining  their  original  form, 
and  exhibiting  on  their  outsides  all  the  lines  and  niches 
of  the  shell  in  its  natural  state  ;  and  on  the  inside,  al- 
most as  perfect  a  polish,as  when  the  shell  was  iSrst  opened. 

"  Those  beds  of  limestone  (carbonate  of  lime)  are  great 
natural  curiosities,  whether  they  are  considered  with  re- 
gard to  their  origin,  or  th«  process  by  which  those  sub- 
stances have  been  changed  from  their  original  texture  to 
their  present  state  of  petrifaction  :  and  while  tliey  afford 
a  rich  subject  of  speculation  to  the  naturalist  and  philo- 
sopher, they  also  supply  the  mechanic  with  an  excellent 
material  in  masonry  and  architecture. , 

"  Of  the  lands  lying  on  the  north  and  west  of  Alabama 
and  Coosa,  but  little  has  been  surveyed,  and  consequent- 
ly but  little  of  them  is  known.  An  actual  survey  of  this 
country  will,  however,  soon  be  made  ;  when  its  topogra- 
phical character  will  be  ascertained. 

"  With  respect  to  that  part  of  the  ceded  lands  which 
fall  within  the  limits  of  Georgia,  we  have  no  authentic 
information,  but  what  is  derived  from  a  survey  of  its 
boundaries ;  and  even  here,  we  are  deficient  in  part,  not 


ALABAMA. 


193 


having  the  traverse  of  the  Chatahooche  river,  which  is  tl\e 
western  boundary  of  this  tract,  from  the  mouth  of  Sum- 
niochicola  to  the  mouth  of  Flint  river.     The  estimated 
(hstance,  however,  between  these  two  points,  is  60  miles ; 
and  the  course  nearly  south.     Taking  this,  at  present, 
lor  the  fact,  we  have  the  land  in  the  form  of  a  trapezium, 
whose  average  length,  from  east  to  west,  is  about  180 
miles,  and  its  average  breadth,  from  north  to  south,  about 
60  miles.    These  dimensions  will   give   a  product  of 
11,900  square  miles,  or  7,616,000  acres.     Judging  of 
the  interior  of  the  country,  from  what  has  been  seen  on 
its  boundaries,  and  the  roads  passing  through  it,  except 
what  lies  betwen  Flint  river  and  Chatahooche,  all  the  rest 
could  not  be  sold,  for  what  it  would  cost  the  state  to 
survey  it.  What  lies  between  Flint  and  Chatahooche  ri- 
vers, however,  deserves  more  attention.  In  order  to  form 
some  estimate  of  the  quantity  of  land  comprehended  in 
this  district,  we  must  ascertain,  as  nearly  as  practicable, 
its  dimensions.     The  distance  from  the  mouth  of  Sum- 
mochicola  to  the  mouth  of  Flint  river,  we  have  supposed 
to  be  sixty  miles,  course  nearly  south.     From  the  mouth 
of  Summochicola,  on  the  boundary  line,  to  Flint  river, 
tlic  distance  is  ascertained  to  be  60  miles  and  ftix  perches, 
east.    Thus  we  have  two  sides  of  the  tract,  60  miles  each, 
intersected  nearly  at  right  angles. 

"  Flint  river  makes  a  large  curve  eastwardly  or  out- 
wardly. This  is  inferred  from  its  relative  position,  with 
the  Catahooclje,  at  three  several  points  above :  On  the 
Oakfuske  trail,  the  distance  across  from  Flint  river  to 
the  Chatahooche,  is  about  30  miles :  On  the  Federal  road, 
running  nearly  west,  and  SO  or  40  miles  lower  down,  the 
distance  across,  is  57  miles :  On  the  boundary  line,  sixty 
or  seventy  miles  below  the  road,  it  is  60  across.    There 

R 


194! 


ALABAMA. 


mu8t  thon  be  s  considerable  bend  in  the  river,  somewlicrc 
below  the  line.  This  bend  is  probably  at  the  limestone 
bluffi  20  or  30  miles  below  the  line,  as  it  is  represented 
in  Mr.  Melish's  late  improved  map  of  the  United  States. 

"  From  Chatahooche,  on  the  line  to  Flint  river,  there  is 
about  a  third  of  the  distance  good  land.  In  one  place, 
particularly  between  Herod's  creek  and  Kitchaphone  (a 
large  creek)  a  distance  of  17  miles,  there  is  a  body  of  oak 
and  hickory  land  of  a  good  second  quality,  finely  tim- 
bered, and  lying  sufficiently  level,  extending  without  a 
break,  from  Herod's  creek  to  within  a  mile  of  the  large 
creek,  Kitchaphone,  a  distance  of  16  miles.  In  this  land 
we  found  no  water  crossing  the  line  between  the  two 
creeks.  Water  was  found,  however,  on  the  outside  of 
the  line.  Thence  to  Flint  river  the  land  is  generally 
poor,  except  about  a  half  mile  on  the  river,  which  is  a 
fine,  soft,  gray  land,  well  timbered,  and  near  the  river,  of 
a  rich  soil. 

"  Between  the  two  rivers,  we  cross  five  large  creeks; 
each  of  which  affords  more  or  less  good  land ;  and  on  one 
or  two  of  them  (Kiltchaphone  and  AmakuUa)  there  is  a 
prospect  of  good  mill  seats. 

**  Proceeding  from  the  line  down  towards  tlie  point,  I 
am  told  the  proportion  of  good  land  increases.  But  be 
tlie  proportion  of  the  good  land  more  or  less,  as  it  is  the 
only  part  of  the  whole  tract,  received  from  the  general 
government,  that  will  afford  any  revenue,  it  would  be 
well  for  the  state  to  make  some  disposition  of  it  aud 
bring  the  funds  thence  arising  into  operation."  . 

An  elongation  of  the  state  of  Alabama,  between  West 
Florida  and  the  state  of  Mississippi,  including  Mobile 
Bay,  extends  from  31°  north  latitude,  to  the  Gulf  of  Mex- 
ic<K    This  tract,  which  is  formed  out  of  West  Florida, 


ALABAMA. 


195 


deriving  more  importance  from  its  position,  than  from 
its  extent  or  productions,  contains  about  3850  square 
miles,  including  the  islands  Dauphin,  Massacre  and 
Petite  Bois. 

Mobile  Bay  affords  the  most  commodious  entrance 
into  the  interior  on  the  Gulf  coast,  witliin  the  United 
States.  Dauphin  island  is  nearly  five  miles  long,  form- 
ing a  triangle ;  it  is  low,  sandy  and  barren.  A  long,  low 
sand  bar  from  the  eastward,  approaches  within  three  miles 
of  the  island.  The  main  pass  between  Dauphin  island 
and  Mobile  Point ;  and  pass  au  Heron,  between  Dau- 
phin island  and  the  main  shore  ;  each  aftbrd  an  entrance 
into  Mobile  Bay.  The  main  pass  is  circuitous  and  nar- 
row, winding  round  Mobile  Point.  The  intermediate 
space  between  the  pass  and  the  east  points  of  the  island, 
is  shallow.  The  other  pass  has  only  six  feet  depth  over 
its  bar. 

It  may  be  generally  remarked  of  Alabama,  that  the 
northern  parts  of  it  are  broken,  near  the  Tennessee  line ; 
at  the  northeast  corner,  it  is  mountainous  ;  the  middle 
is  hilly ;  and  contiguous  to  the  Florida  line,  a  space,  oc- 
cupying in  width  from  50  to  60  miles,  is  timbered  with 
cypress,  loblolly  and  long  and  short  leafed  pine.  The 
largest  portion  of  the  surface  of  the  whole  state  is  barren ; 
the  prevailing  growth,  pine.  The  alluvion  constituting 
the  margin  of  streams,  is  very  productive ;  next  in  fer- 
tility are  the  slopes  of  hiils,  by  the  people  called  ham- 
mocks ;  the  soil  of  the  latter  being  composed  of  sand 
and  clay ;  tipiber,  pine,  oak,  hickory,  sweet  gum,  and 
dogwood.  Here,  it  is  believed,  the  wine  grape  would 
flourish  ;  the  position  and  soil  exactly  agreeing  with 
those  places  in  France,  where  the  finest  vineyards  of 
Europe  are  planted.  But  the  more  fertile  portions  whl^K 
afford  the  productions  that  are  necesssary  to  the  susten* 


190 


ALABAMA. 


tation  of  life,  will  be  first  cultivated.  The  handmaids 
of  luxury,  such  as  the  cultivation  of  the  grape,  must  be 
preceeded  by  an  advanced  state  of  agriculture,  a  dense 
population  and  an  accumulation  of  wealth. 

Between  the  Cunccuh  and  the  Chatahooche,  the  land 
is  broken  and  waving ;  the  high  lands  parting  thcii 
waters,  consist  of  elevated  tracts,  flat,  light  and  sand v, 
abounding  in  willow  leafed  hickory,  and  containing  8o?iie 
iron  ore  ;  all  the  streams  having  cane  on  their  margins, 
and  frequently  some  oranges.  The  soil  of  the  waviiijj; 
land  consists  of  a  stiff,  red  loam,  with  stone  on  tli« 
lidges  :  the  pine  land  is  productive  of  corn. 

Between  the  Mobile  and  the  Perdido,  the  soil  is  thin ; 
timber,  pine  and  cypress.  The  head  waters  of  Escam- 
bia and  Cunecuh,  intersect  a  region  productive  of  cotton 
and  sugar,  containing  orange  groves. 

Along  the  Tensaw,  arc  many  pine  and  cypres  trees ; 
near  the  river  are  cane  brakes,  and  some  cypress  swamps. 
Bordering  on  the  Alabama^  are  cane  swamps,  inter- 
spersed with  pine  flats,  covered  with  soil  suitable  for 
sugar,  cotton  or  corn.  The  swamps,  at  and  below  the 
confluence  with  the  Tombigbee,  are  subject  to  occasional 
inundations  ;  further  up,  the  swamps  are  extensive, 
where  the  musquetoes  are  very  troublesome.  Adjacent 
to  the  swamps,  for  a  mile  in  width,  is  a  sterile,  stiff  clay  ; 
the  growth,  pine  and  underbrush ;  further  back,  are  bro- 
ken pine  barrens ;  and  on  the  streams,  cypress  ponds  and 
cane  braked.  Fifty  miles  above  the  confluence  of  the 
Alabama  with  the  Tombigbee,  the  high,  broken  lands 
commence,  extending  in  width  sixty  miles :  timber,  oak, 
hickory,  poplar  and  large  cedars. 

The  best  lands  in  the  state,  are  supposed  to  lie  be- 
tween the  Alabama  and  Tombigbee ;  the  bottoms  of  tiie 
Black  Warrior,  (whose  banks  abound  with  stone  coal) 


ALABAMA. 


197 


and  Bear  creek,  are  excellent ;  as  also  tlioi^c  of  the  Tal- 
lapoosa. 

Between  the  dividing  ridge  that  separates  the  waters 
of  the  Cunecuh  from  those  of  the  Alabama,  anil  the  latter 
river,  is  a  tract  of  rich  land,  about  30  miles  long  and  20 
wide  ;  the  timber  of  a  large  growth,  and  the  cane  abun- 
dant ;  the  country  well  watered,  and  intersected  by 
many  creeks  ;  the  surface  undulating  and  overspread 
with  tall  grass. 

At  the  sources  of  Limtitone  creek,  i^  a  fine  tract  of 
land,  20  miles  in  length,  and  about  8  wide  ;  well  suppli- 
ed with  water  ;  the  prevailing  growth  dogwood. 

Sixty  miles  above  the  junction  of  the  Coosa  and  Td- 
lapoosa,  is  a  high  waving  country,  with  tine  springs  o'i 
water  ;  growth,  mulberry,  poplar,  black  walnut,  i^o. 
Avliere  the  Creek  Indians  are  settled.  The  stream-j  are 
margine.!  with  cane ;  the  surrounding  country  broken 
and  gravelly. 

Indian  Cession. — There  has  been  an  extinguishmertt 
of  the  Indian  claims  to  an  extent  of  territory  in  Alabama, 
equal  to  three-fourths  of  the  state.  The  Coosa  river  is 
now,  by  Jackson's  treaty,  the  Indian  boundary  from  the 
islands  in  that  river  to  Wetumka,  or  the  Great  Falls 
near  Fort  Jackson.  From  Weturaka,  the  boundary  line 
extends  eastwardly  about  18  miles  ;  thence  southwardly 
across  the  Tallopoosa,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Ofuskee,  and 
up  the  Ofuskee  ten  miles  j  thence  south  49°  16'  east, 
67  miles  to  the  mouth  of  Summochicola,  on  the  Chatta- 
hooche,  46  miles  above  31  degrees  north  latitude,  on 
the  Alabama  and  West  Florida  j  and  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Summochicola,  due  east,  through  the  state  of 
Georgia  to  the  Altamaha,  two  miles  east  of  Goose  cit ek. 
The  whole  of  the  Creek  country,  west  and  south  o^  the 

K  2 


i 


igs 


ALABAMA. 


Alabama,  and  the  line  above  mentioned,  was  ceded  ia 
the  Uniteu  States  by  the  treaty  with  general  Jackson. 
It  is  supposed,  that  of  the  lands  ceded,  by  the  late  treaty, 
&bout  17,000  square  miles  are  within  the  state  of  Ala- 
bama. 

TopographicaL'—'The  whole  extent  of  surface  drain- 
ed by  the  Tombigbee,  Black  Warrior,  Alabama,  Coosa, 

Tallapoosa  and  Cahaba,  exceeds  26,000,000  acres 

This  great  region  will  require  a  central  point,  near  the 
head  of  Mobile  Bay,  for  an  emporium  of  commerce. 
For  the  attainment  of  this  privilege.  Mobile  town  and 
Blakely  are  the  two  most  prominent  candidates.  Mo- 
bile stands  upon  the  west  side  of  the  bay  of  that  name, 
in  30°  40'  north  latitude.  This  town,  though  establish- 
ed at  the  time  of  the  first  settlements  of  the  French  in 
Louisiana,  has  never  flourished  under  the  French  or 
Spanish,  as  a  commercial  town,  but  has  been  occupied 
by  them  merely  as  a  military  post.  But  since  the  event 
of  the  late  war,  which  put  the  fertile  regions,  bordering 
on  the  tributaries  of  the  river  Mobile,  into  the  possession 
of  the  United  States,  the  town  has  assumed  a  new  ap- 
pearance. The  site  of  this  town  is  elevated  15  or  20 
feet  above  the  tide  water :  it  is  dry  and  solid.  Vessels 
can  be  brought  near  the  shore,  and  the  harbor  is  com- 
pletely sheltered  from  storms  or  sudden  attacks  of  an 
enemy  by  water.  But  there  are  serious  impediments 
•pposed  to  the  prosperity  of  this  town :  the  country  in 
its  rear,  consists  of  barren  lands :  the  approach  by  water, 
if  rendered  somewhat  difficult,  from  a  low,  grassy  island 
lying  opposite  to  the  town  ;  and  the  same  wind,  ena- 
bling a  vessel  to  enter  the  Bay,  will  not  impel  it  to  Mobile. 
But  the  most  effectual  obstacle  to  the  advancement  of 
Mobile,  is  that  of  a  preferable  commercial  depot,  on  the 


ALABAMA. 


199 


id  to 
ksofi. 
reaty, 
[  Ala- 

ilrain- 

IJoosa, 

res. — 

ar  the 

merce. 

rii  and 

.    Mo- 

;  name, 

tablish- 

ench  in 

ench  or 

ccupied 

e  event 

>rdering 

ssession 

new  ap- 
5  or  20 
Vessels 
is  com- 
;s  of  an 
Idiments 

intry  in 
water, 
island 
id,  ena- 
Mobile- 
tmcnt  of 
:,  on  the 


eastern  and  opposite  side  of  the  Bay,  where  a  town  has 
lately  been  commenced  by  the  name  of  Blakely.  This 
town  is  more  easy  of  access  from  the  ocean  and  the 
country  than  Mobile.  The  Tensaw,  the  eastern  branch 
of  the  Mobile  river,  on  which  Blakely  stands,  is  deeper 
and  wider  than  the  western  ;  and  the  same  wind  which 
enables  a  vessel  to  enter  the  bay, will  carry  her  to  Blakely, 
Blakely  is  supplied  with  copious  springs  of  pure,  cool 
water;  and  nature  has  provided  a  good  route  for  a  road, 
on  the  dividing  ridge,  which  separates  the  branches  of 
the  Cunecuh  and  Escambia  from  those  of  the  Alabama. 

Fort  Stoddartt  a  place  of  little  note,  is  situated  on 
the  west  bank  of  the  Alabama. 

F(yrt  St.  Stevens  stands  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Tom- 
bigbee,  at  the  head  of  schooner  navigation  :  it  has  been 
the  seat  of  government  for  the  late  territory,  and  occu- 
pies a  situation  naturally  advantageous  for  the  purposes 
of  commerce.    It  contains  a  bank  and  an  academy. 

Huntsvillet  in  Madison  county,  is  a  flourishing  village, 
and  is  surrounded  by  an  extensive,  wealthy  settlefnent. 
This  town  contains  a  bank.  Other  towns  and  Tillages 
are  of  so  recent  a  date,  that  little  is  known  of  their  pro- 
gress or  prospects. 

The  following  table  exhibits  the  state  of  population  in 

Alabama,  as  apportioned  in  the  several  counties,  in  1816, 

Counties.        Population*        Chief  Towns. 

1,163 

4,196 

969 

14,200 

1,300 


Baldwin 

Clark 

Jackson 

Madison 

Mobile 

Washington       £,559 


Fort  Stoddart 


Huntsville 
Mobile 
St  Sterens 


aoo 


ALABAMA. 


Climate^  vegetable  productions,  forest  trees,  state  of 
health,  <J*c. — The  climate  on  and  adjacent  to  Mobile  Bay 
is  represented  bj  gentlemen  who  have  resided  there 
many  years,  as  both  pleasant  and  salubrious.  It  is  said 
to  be  much  preferable  to  the  same  parallel  of  latitude 
on  the  Mississippi  and  in  the  state  of  Georgia ;  and  that 
the  heat  in  summer,  by  means  of  the  sea  breezes,  which 
blow  up  the  bay  from  the  Gulf,  and  the  natural  elevation 
of  the  country,  is  rendered  less  oppressive,  than  in  the 
middle  states.  The  diseases  are  less  violent,  fewer  iti 
number,  and  more  easily  removed  by  medicine  than  in 
almost  any  section  of  the  United  States ;  certain  local 
situations  excepted.  The  variety  of  productions  near 
the  Mobile,  is  said  to  be  remarkable.  Says  a  gentleman 
from  Pennsylvania,  who  had  resided  many  years  at  St. 
Stevens,  in  a  letter  to  a  friend,  "  On  the  same  plantation 
I  have  seen  the  apple,  cherry,  orange,  fig,  quince,  Irish 
potatoe,  wheat,  rye,  buckwheat,  flax,  cotton  and  sugar 
cane,  grow  well ;  nearly  all  of  which  excel."  He 
also  adds, "  The  groves  of  white  oaks  are  immense  on  the 
margins  of  the  rivers ;  and  the  groves  of  red  cedar,  pine 
and  cypress,  are  extensive."  The  oysters  and  fish  of 
Mobile  bay  are  represented  of  an  excellent  quality. 

It  has  been  the  opinion  of  naturalists,  that  most  of  the 
productions  of  the  tropical  climates  would  flourish  near 
the  Gulf  coast.  It  is  thbught,  that  the  olive,  the  vine  and 
the  tea  plant  might  be  made  to  flourish  here.  With  a 
view  to  make  an  experiment  of  this  kind,  the  general 
government  have  granted  to  a  coiiipany  of  French  emi- 
grants, 92,160  acres,  to  be  located  on  lands  ceded  by  the 
Creek  Indians  to  the  United  States ;  on  condition,  that 
they  shall  introduce  the  culture  of  the  vine  and  the  olive. 
Among  the  vegetable  productions,  not  yet  cultivated  in 


ALABAMA. 


201 


te  of 
J  Bay 

there 

3  said 

titude 

dthat 

which 

ivation 

in  the 

;\ver  ill 

than  in 

n  local 

ns  near 

[itleman 

•9  at  St. 

antation 

ce,  Irish 

id  sugar 

I."     He 

se  on  the 
dar,  pine 
i\  fish  of 

^lity. 

»9tof  the 

Irish  near 
vine  and 
With  a 
general 


the  United  States,  of  the  most  importance,  are  the  vine, 
the  olive  and  the  white  mulberry,  which  have  been  found 
to  flourish  in  the  vicinity  of  each  other.  The  climate 
and  the  soil  in  many  parts  of  the  three  states,  bordering 
the  Gulf  coast,  are  favorable  to  these  productions,  unless 
iinpropitious  natural  qualities  exist  there,  which  have  not 
vet  been  discovered. 


EAST  AND  WEST  FLORIDA. 


Of  the  two  Floridas,  we  have  it  not  in  our  power  to 
communicate  more  than  some  general  outlines.  To  this 
section  of  the  western  country  we  have  never  extended 
our  excursions,  nor  is  it  within  our  knowledge,  that  any 
minute,  accurate  geographical  description  has  ever  been 
published.  As  the  Floridas,  though  not  within,  is  an  in- 
tegral, and  from  their  position  would  be  an  important 
portion  of  the  United  States,  we  deem  it  proper  to  sub- 
mit to  our  readers  such  sketches  of  the  country  as  have 
come  to  our  notice. 

East  and  West  Florida  are  bounded  by  Georgia  on 
the  north,  by  the  state  of  Alabama  on  the  west,  by  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico  on  the  south,  and  by  the  Atlantic  ocean 
on  the  east.  Length  600,  and  breadth  400  miles ;  be- 
tween 4''  28'  and  10*'  18'  west  longitude,  and  25°  and  3£' 
north  latitude. 

In  1497,  Sebastian  Cabot  discovered  the  Floridas.  The 
French  first  established  themselves  there,  in  1564;  from 
whence  they  were  compelled  to  retire,  in  the  following 
year,  by  the  Spaniards,  who  took  possession  of  the  coun- 
try and  retained  it,  till  the  treaty  of  peace  in  1763,  when 
it  was  ceded  to  England  in  exchange  for  the  Havanna, 
that  had  been  taken  from  the  Spaniards.  While  in  pos- 
session of  the  former,  it  was  divided  into  East  and  West 
Florida— which,  during  the  American  war,  in  1781,  were 
captured  by  the  Spaniards,  to  whom  they  were  relin- 
quished by  the  peace  of  1783. 


1 

larl 
remi 
uidt 
is  CO] 

harre 
orang 
)arge  i 
A  lar^ 
sensed 
tions. 
with  a 
the  frii 
the  Cai 
Rice,  ii 
nuntry 
Ofth 
pal;  wh 
more  thi 
and  puri 
t'jer,  flov 
gia.    Th 
considen 
from  the 
I  gia,  by  th 
from  We 
of  Mexic( 
I  ""ost  coni 

Iron  or 
hedinthe 
hresaid 


THE    FL0RIDA8. 


203 


^ver  to 
Co  this 
tended 
\at  any 
er  been 
s  an  in- 
iportant 
:  to  sub- 
r  as  have 


The  climate  is  represented  as  being  not  very  dissimi- 
lar from  that  of  Georgia,  and  for  so  southern  a  latitude, 
remarkably  healthy.  East  Florida,  for  about  40  miles  in 
width  on  the  sea  border,  is  flat  and  sandy ;  yet  the  soil 
is  considered  productive,  as  spots  here,  apparently  most 
barren,  produce  two  crops  of  Indian  corn  a  year.  The 
orange  and  lemon  trees  grow  without  cultivation,  to  a 
large  size,  and  bear  better  fruit  than  in  Portugal  or  Spain. 
A  large  tract  bordering  on  the  river  St.  Johns,  is  repre- 
sented as  fertile  and  well  adapted  for  spacious  planta- 
tions. The  inland  country,  towards  the  hills,  is  covered 
with  a  soil  remarkably  rich,  producing,  spontaneously,  all 
the  fruits  aini  vegetables  which  tl.>urish  in  Georgia  and 
the  Carolinas,  and  the  southern  climates  of  Europe. — 
Rice,  indigo  and  cochineal,  are  also  produced  in  this 
fDuntry. 

Of  the  Rivers  in  East  Florida,  St,  Johns  is  the  princi- 
pal ;  which,  after  running,  nearly  in  a  north  tlirection, 
more  than  270  miles,  including  its  curvatures,  it  turns, 
and  pursuing  a  north-east  direction  nearly  30  miles  fur- 
tlier,  flows  into  the  Atlantic,  a  few  miles  south  of  Geor- 
gia.   This  river  is»navigable  above  the  bar,  for  vessels  of 
considerable  burthen,  150  miles.  The  Appalachicola  rises 
from  the  Appalachian  mountains,  passes  through  Geor- 
gia, by  t^"*  name  of  Chatahoochee,  and,  separating  East 
from  West  Florida,  discharges  its  waters  into  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico ;  being  in  length,  about  400  miles.    The  other 
most  considerable  rivers  are,  the  J^TassaUt  St.  J\richolas, 
Corelia,  St.  Pedro,  Asilla,  Vilchees^  and  St.  Marks. 

Iron  ore,  copper,  qnickeilver,  and  pit-coal,  are  produ- 
i  ced  in  the  country,  and  several  species  of  precious  stones 
I  are  said  to  have  been  found. 


204 


THE    FLORIDAS. 


Pensacola  is  the  chief  town  in  East  Florida,  north  lat. 
32°  32'  west  long.  10°  18'  It  is  situated  in  a  bay  of  the 
same  name,  upon  a  gentle  rising  ascent..  The  shore,  near 
the  town,  is  sandy,  and  is  acce^ssible  to  vessels  of  bur- 
then. The  road  is  one  of  the  best  on  the  Gulf  coast: 
and  the  harbor,  being  surrounded  by  land,  is  spacious, 
commodious  and  safe. 

St.  Jiugiistine,  the  metropolis  of  East  Florida,  in  north 
lat.  29°  45'  west  long.  4"  20',  is  situatf;d  on  the  main, 
about  two  miles  within  the  bar,  immediately  opposite  tlie 
inlet.     The  bar  is  covered  by  about  15  feet  of  water. 
The  town  is  of  an  oblong  form,  divided  by  four  regular 
streets,  crossing  at  right  angles.     The  town  is  fortified 
with  bastions  enclosed  with  a  ditch,  and  defended  by  a 
castle.    The  island  of  Matonzies  extends  parallel  with 
the  coast,  before  the  town,  forming  a  point  of  St.  Augus- 
tine inlet.     This  island  is  principally  solid  rock,  compo- 
sed of  sea  shells  concreted.     With  the  fragments  of  this 
rock,  fort  St.  Marks,  and  most  of  the  houses  in  the  city, 
were  built.     By  the  application  of  a  good  cement  to  these 
rocks,  the  whole  becomes  a  solid  compact  mais.     In  the 
rear  of  the  city,  is  an  impassable  ntorass,  almost  sur- 
rounding it ;  on  the  margin  of  which  are  erected  six  re- 
doubts.    The  fort  is  20  feet  high,  and  the  wails  12  feet 
thick,  and  mounts  36  guns  :   it  is  four  square,  with  a  bas- 
tion at  each  corner,  mounting  eight  2^  pounders  each. 
The  city  contains  about  500  houses  chiefly  of  stone,  with 
a  population  of  5000  souls>  mostly  Minorcans  and  natives. 
The  remains  of  a  more  flourishing  state  of  the  city,  now 
evidently  declining,  arc  conspicuous. 


[  north 
main, 
^ite  t\ie 
water, 
regular 
fortified 
ied  by  a 
[\q\  with 
.  Augus- 
jcompo- 
;s  of  this 
|the  city, 
to  these 
In  the 
lost  sur- 
id  six  re- 
Is  12  feet 
[itUabas- 
ers  each. 
lone,  with 
jd  natives. 

Icity,  no^ 


LOUISIANA. 


Louisiana  was  formed  into  a  state  in  1812.  It  is 
bounded  north  by  Arkansaw  territory,  east  by  the  state 
of  Mississippi  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  boundary 
line  is  formed  by  the  river  Mississippi,  from  33°  to  31° 
north  ;  thence  by  the  parallel  of  31°  to  Pearl  river: 
thence  by  that  stream  to  its  mouth.  The  Gulf  of  Mex- 
ico forms  the  southern  boundary  ;  and  Sabine  river  the 
western,  from  its  mouth  to  latitude  32°  north ;  thence 
the  boundary  line  proceeds  due  n?rth,  to  latitude  33°  ; 
thence  due  east  to  the  Mississippi :  between  longitiide 
\r  and  17°  3';  latftude,  from  29°  to  33°  north  ;  240 
miles  long,  from  north  to  south,  and  210  broad ;  contain- 
ing 48,220  square  miles. 

By  the  census  of  1810,  this  state,  then  territory  of 
Orleans,  contained  75^556  inhabitants,  of  which  34,660 
were  slaves.  When  erected  into  a  state,  pai  t  of  West 
Florida,  consisting  of  the  parishes  of  New-Feliciana, 
East  Baton  Rouge,  St.  Helena,  and  St.  Tammany,  were 
annexed  to  it. 

S 


206 


LOUISIANA. 


The  following  is  an  account  of  tlie  parishes,  square 
miles  and  population,  as  exhibited  in  1810. 


Parishes, 

Ascension 

Assumption 

Avoyelles 

West  Baton  Rouge 

Concordia 

Iberville    * 

Interior  of  Lafourche 

Natchitoclies 

Ouachitta 

Orleans 

Plaquemines 

Point  Coupee 

Rapides. 

St.  Bernard 

St.  Charles 

St.  James 

:St.  John  Baptiste 

St.  Land  re  Opelousas 

St.  Mary's  and  St.  Martin's 

Attacapas 
East  Baton  Rouge 
New-Feliciana 
St.  Helena 
St*  Tammany 

Total 


Square  miles.    Pujmlation. 


550 
500 
700 
•     850 
2,100 
350 
2,500 
10,600 
4,000 
1,300 
1,500 
600 
2,300 
400 
300 
170 
150 
7,600 

I  5,100 

500^ 
1,050  1 
1,300  f 
2,000j 

48,220 


2,219 
2,475 
1,109 
1,463 
2,875 
2,679 
1,995 
2,870 
1,164 
24,552 
1,549 
4,539 
2,300 
1,020 
3,291 
3,955 
2,990 
5,048 

7,369 


10,000 


86,556 


A  large  number  of  the  inhabitants  are  French  and 
Spanish. 

JSTeW' Orleans,  on  an  island  of  the  same  name,  is  a  port 
of  entry  and  the  capital  of  the  state,  105  miles  by  water 
and  90  in  a  direct  line  to  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi; 
1260  miles  from  the  city  of  Washington,  in  latitude  29° 
57' north;  longitude  12°  58'.  The  population  of  1802, 
was  estimated  at  about  10,000  ;  by  the  census  of  1810, 
it  was  17,242,  of  whom  5,961  were  slaves ;  in  1818,  tlie 
number  was  supposed  about  37,000.    The  city  stands  o". 


LOUISIANA.  g^ 

*'ie  east  bank  of  the  M;««;  c-     •  ' 

"ow  i«  .he  river.  „  t  '^  i  oT'  1 "'."  """  »'  "  -"«- 
'-n  banker  the  other  extertv"t  """"'^  *"<=  «»- 
ci'y-  The  streets  are  4o Tf '  !  ^^ '"'''  ^'«^'  »''  th" 
»"f--  Next  the  ri  er.  mt  :ft'  T"*  "'  "S"' 
«'«' brick,  and  in  the  back  r.lvu  '"'"^«' ••"•«  built 
«rc  formed  from  the  surface  v  ,7      T""'    '^''"'  <=«"a™ 

'"^  buildings  high  froril: ; : :'  s:^  ^^  -«"'g 

ornamented  with  orange  ffrover,       „    t"''*^"'  8"''ens, 
«- bouses  in  the  suburlf    Tl^r      ""''"  *"""'»^»f 
«>»  the  surface  of  thV  river    IrT""'^  '"^^^  ''  '"^''^ 
i(8  channel  by  artificial  TI'  T         "  """'"«<'  ""ithin 
"tending  mofe  than  loi  :;:"'""'""*'  -"e^  »  i..v.. 

The  city  contains  a  court  hn,,...    •  •, 
•rsenal.  governor's  palace  custn!?  ■"''", '"»^''e«  house, 
tre.  catholic  college  femLle  'T     "''' '""^P""'' »  «>«». 

containing  about  /o'nurthre!  '"'''""'  ="  ""'"""•r. 
I^nks,  one  a  United  rtes'brrncr''Tf  '"^^«'-  f«"r 
public  worship,  one  Cathlv        \f"''  *"*"  '""'^«='  «f 

^-byterian/'Bes  des    h t:  ZT'^r^  ='""  »- 
Hall,  where  public  worshTo  L  „    f    *''r'"'P''''  ""''  « 
P-blic  buildings  are  C'^an/ h  T"'     **»''  ""''be 
ve  newspapers,  three  p^  nted  in  E„:,m"-      '"''"'''  -« 
'«o  in  French  and  English  ^     ''  "'"'  ""^  <>'ber 

-'ia::^^r^ti:?r:s'T"-"«''^'^- 

W-  country.    At  the^re  e"  t  IsSq         ■""'  '™'"  *'"' 
»f  Mississippi  and  its  t„W  ?'  "■"""  ""^  """ters 

"»cks,  nea^fy  too  stearC'!^;,;"^  "f "« .*bose  on  the 
\'*ecny,  are  concer„e:1:  Ir   Tat  N^lt  .'"""^ 

lr-rore:x7ni^'^^ 


maMi 


SOS 


LOUISIANA. 


ti'ade  of  a  country,  naturally  fertile,  extending  over  30 
degrees  of  longitude  and  20  of  latitude,  is  destined  to  be 
one  of  the  most  commercial  and  flourishing  cities  in  the 
world. 

Face  of  the  eowitry,  navigable  streams^  soil,  timber 
growth,  agricultural  productions,  Sfc.  S^c. — The  isiaiid 
of  New-Orleans  is  formed  by  the  river  Mississippi  on 
one  side,  and  the  lakes  Ponchartrain  and  Maurepas,  to- 
gether with  an  outlet  of  the  Mississippi,  called  the  river 
Il>erville,  on  the  other.  It  is  in  length,  about  160  miles, 
and  from  3  to  5  broad.  It  produces  sugar,  lemons, 
oranges  and  figs. 

From  Fort  St.  Philip,  to  the  bar  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Mississippi,  a  distance  by  water  of  35  miles,  the  neck  of 
land  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  is  mostly  marsh  praira, 
and  unfit  for  cultivation.  It  exhibits  a  dreary  appear- 
ance, and  is  uninhabited,  except  by  a  few  fishermen  and 
some  pilots  near  the  bar. 

St.  Philip,   opposite  a  short   bend  in  the  river,  to 
which  the  swamps   nearly  approach,  afTords  an  advan- 
tageous site  for  a  military  post,  from  which  to  annoy  an 
enemy  in  ascending  the  river.      The  value  of  Fort  St. 
Philips,  as  a  place  of  defence,  was  made  conspicuous  in 
the  reception  it  gave  the  enemy  in  the  late  war.     The 
settlements  of  Terre  aux  Bceuf  are  connected  with  those 
on  the  Mississippi,      This  is  a  rich  tract  of  land  and 
productive  of  sugar  and  cotton.     Much  of  the  tinibor 
growth  is  excellent  live  oak,  which  is  going  to  decaj 
from  the  practice  of  burning  the  grass  around  tlie  tree?. 
Just  below  this  place,  is  the  great  bend,  called  the  Eng- 
lish Turn,  deriving  its  name  from  the  circumstance  of  a 
deception  imposed  by  a  French  ofiicer  on  the  comman-j 
derof  an  English  squadron,  sent  out  in  the  early  settle- 


LOUISIAXA. 


209 


ments  c»f  the  country,  to  explore  tlie  great  Canadian 
river,  as  tlie  Mississippi  was  then  called.  On  ti»e  Eng- 
lish commander  being  informed,  after  ascending  the 
river  thus  far,  by  the  Frenchman,  that  the  object  of  his 
eiuiuirv  was  fjrtlier  westward  ;  he  immediately  deii*ist- 
ed  from  iiis  pursuits  further  up,  and  returned  with  Ids 
ileet  totheGulf. 

The  country  adjacent,  which  spreads  out  towards 
lake  Borgneand  Chandeleur  Bay,  is  a  morass,  destitute 
of  timber,  and  covered  with  grass. 

Tliere  are  six  outlets  to  the  Mississippi  ;  the  west, 
southwest,  south  main,  or  nortlieast,  north,  and  Pass  a 
la  Loutre.  Of  these,  the  northwest  and  northeast,  have 
each  about  an  equal  depth  of  water,  viz.  twelve  feet  on 
t]»eir  respective  bars.  The  west  pass  has  nine  feet,  the 
soutli  eight,  and  the  north  and  Pass  a  la  Loutre,  also 
about  eight  feet.  Latterly  the  northeast  pass  is  almost 
exclusively  used.  It  has  been  formerly  supposed,  that 
no  permanent  improvements  could  be  made  in  removing 
the  obstructions  to  the  passage  of  ships  at  tlie  mouth  of 
the  Mississippi,  on  account  of  the  changes  that  were  be- 
lieved to  be  constantly  happening  to  the  channel.  But 
from  critical  examination,  this  has  been  ascertained  to 
be  an  ill  grounded  opinion.  The  bottoms  of  most  of  the 
passes  appear  to  be  a  hard,  tough,  tenacious  clay ;  and 
little  doubt  is  entertained,  that  a  considerable  greater 
depth  of  water  at  the  bar  may  be  effected,  that  will  re- 
main permanent. 

The  nearest  point  in  lake  Ponchartrain  to  New- 
Orleans,  is  at,  or  about  Fort  St.  Johns,  which  stands  on 
a  creek  of  the  same  name,  that  heads  in  a  swamp,  south- 
west of  New-Orleans,  and  after  meandering  about  six 
miles,  discharges  into  lake  Ponchartrain.    The  depth  of 


SIO 


LOUISIANA. 


water  in  this  creek  varies,  accprding  to  tlie  rise  and  fall 
of  the  water  in  the  lake,  from  three  to  nine  feet.  Tlie 
creek  is  connected  by  a  canal,  with  a  basin,  behind  the 
Charity  Hospital  of  New-Orleans,  large  enough  for  many 
small  vessels.  Tlie  canal  is  about  20  feet  wide,  and 
extends,  in  a  direct  line,  about  two  miles,  to  the  creek. 
This  water  communication  from  the  city  to  lake  Pon- 
chartrain,  affords  such  important  commercial  facilities, 
that  it  is  contemplated  to  deepen  the  channel  and  ex- 
tend it  to  the  Mississippi. 

What  is  called  the  inside  passage  from  New-Orleans 
to  Mobile  Bay,  is  safe  and  commodious  for  small  vessels. 
This  passage  is  through  lakes  Ponchartrain  and  Borgne, 
which  are  connected  by  the  Rigolets,  that  constitute  the 
mouth  of  the  Pearl,  which  communicates  with  each  uf 
these  lakes. 

The  pass  of  the  Rigolets,  affording  nine  feet  water,  is, 
excepting  the  Mississippi,  the  most  important  inlet  of 
Louisiana,  both  as  it  respects  commerce  and  national 
defence. 

A  long  peninsula,  stretching  sou th westward ly  by  lake 
Borgne,  and  8  or  10  long,  narrow  islands,  lying  parallel 
with  the  Gulf  coast,  in  an  eastwardly  position  to  the  Bay 
of  Mobile,  smooth  the  roughness  of  the  Gulf  waters  and 
render  a  passage  by  water  between  New-Orleans  and 
Mobile,  secure  and  pleasant.  Vessels  drawing  six  feet 
water,  may  perform  this  voyage  conveniently. 

Lake  Borgne  is  about  35  miles  long,  in  its  extent  from 
the  mouth  of  Bayou  Bienvenu  to  Cat  island,  with  an  ave- 
rage width  of  twelve  miles,  and  embraces  two  groups 
of  small  islands.  Its  waters  are  generally  shoal :  with 
the  exception  of  a  narrow  channel  extending  on  its  north- 


LOUISIANA.  g^^ 

-"■■fl-east:  the  forme       !'„  """''  '""'  *'""  <""  "'« 

northern  part,  of  Cat  hhn.lT^    .       sontl„veatcr„  and 
.   TLongl.  this  island  1,  S  b  S'  f""  f"''"™"- 
•"'portant.     The  British  occur     I  /  u     '' "'  ''"'''i™  » 
of  the  island,  ty  their     ipso/v  ,    '   "''""■ '"  "'^'  -"'' 
«'ey  stationed'their  ^^ ^^ ' ;"'""  l""'"^'' 
campaign  in  Louisiana  '    "'"'S  ""^"-  ''■•(« 

PeSnS,::;;-  "f  ;ip^^^^  '^-i„e  and 
New-Feliciana.  St.  Hele„a'a:d  St  Ta      ' ''"'""  ''""»-' 
lo-e  of  the  most  valuable  t^cfs  of  tnT"''',?'''''^" 
Tl.e  southern  parts  are  level  h,  t       I        '"  ""^  '"""• 
<!>«  growth  of 'sugar  cLe  cln     ""•     '  ""''  "'""P'"''  '» 
"orther^,  are  diversified  bv  awl:  '""r""'  '"^«<'--  «"= 
«l>ere  uncultivated,  with  a^a^  ""''"'•  ""'^  ^'"«'<«'. 
""•l  yellow  oak,  hickor;,ael!:rr""'  "^  '^''"«.  "-eJ 
lar.    New-Feliciana  ll  ^""= V'''""^'  "^guolia  and  pop. 

'»««nof..Gar:,r;SaVat'"^ 

tion"  •  tCn  :'f  icl^rj!"  """^  "'"^■''-  o'-^- 

«f  the  wealthy  planters    ,  dUi .  1^'  ''"•^'"^-    «<""« 

f --es  of  land,  and  raise  annual  nnlf  '"''*"  "O" 

«e.s^..ee.entof.orttr"''^-«-^ 

feras  Pearl  river.  This  disfZ  '  "  'P''*'"'  »"«  as 


SIS 


LOUISIANA. 


A  large  portion  of  the  nortliern  borders  of  lakes  Mau- 
repas,  Ponchartrain  and  Borgne,  is  covered  witli  soil  con- 
sisting of  sea  sand,  intermixed  with  the  decayed  remains 
of  sea  shells.  Although  apparently  a  sterile,  dry  sand, 
it  produces  with  gr^at  luxuriance,  in  a  long  succession 
of  crops,  without  manure,  every  species  of  vegetable 
which  nourishes  in  the  climate.  At  a  depth  beneath  the 
surface,  beyond  tlie  reach  of  vegetable  roots,  is  a  strong 
adhesive  clay. 

A  complete  specimen  of  the  land  last  described,  may 
be  found  on  the  island  at  the  mouth  of  Pearl  river.  To 
the  northward  of  the  last  mentioned  lakes,  for  an  extcMit, 
ill  some  places,  of  more  than  20  miles,  the  lands  appear 
to  have  been  gained  from  the  waters  by  the  recession  of 
the  ocean.  They  are  sandy  and  dry,  and  aft'oid  heallliv 
habitations.  The  soil,  for  a  good  distance  norlhwanlly 
from,  the  lakes,  resembles  ^he  earth  composing  their  bot- 
toms. The  southern  borders  of  these  lakes,  are  low 
and  marshy.  Madisonville,  26  miles  north  of  New- 
Orleans,  is  pleasantly  situated  on  the  west  bank  of  tlie 
Chefuncti,  two  miles  above  its  discharge  into  the  north 
part  of  lake  Ponchartrain.  It-s  situation  is  advantageous 
for  the  coasting  or  West  India  trade.  A  sea  vessel  will 
approach  it  in  14  days  less  time,  and  return  two  days 
sooner  than  to  and  from  New-Orleans.  It  also  posseses 
more  conveniencies  for  building  and  repairing  vessels. 
It  is  likewise  considered  more  favorable  to  health,  and 
less  liable  to  be  infested  with  musquetoes,  than  New- 
Orleans.  The  natural  advantages  peculiar  to  Madison- 
vi'le,  have  induced  the  general  government  to  establish 
a  navy  yard  there.  The  bordering  wild  lands  abound  in 
pine  ;  some  of  which  shoot  up  70  or  80  feet,  clear  of  | 
limbs,  except  near  the  top.    Live  oak,  cypress,  magno- 


LOUISIANA. 


213 


Ha,  p!um,gum,  bay,  cotton  wood,  ash,  willow,  and  cane 
brakes  are  also  plenty  :  the  latter  are  indicative  of  a 
rich,  deep,  dry  soil. 

Settlements  are  interspersed  along  the  margin  of  the 
sound,  and  the  inhabitants  have  large  stocks  of  cattle  and 
horses,  and  furnish  lime  and  tar  for  New-Orleans.  The 
lime,  being  mostly  composed  of  oyster  shells,  is  of  an 
excellent  quality. 

There  is  a  strong  probability  that  the  grape  vine  and 
olive,  if  properly  cultivated,  would  flourish  on  a  large 
portion  of  the  fine  tracts  of  land,  which  are  spread  out 
extensively  in  many  parts,  bordering  the  Gulf  coast.  An 
experiment  of  this  kind,  of  which  mention  has  been  made, 
is  about  being  effected  on  a  large  scale,  by  French  emi- 
grants. 

The  country  west  of  the  Mississippi,  within  the  juris- 
diction of  the  United  States,  presents  materials  to  tlie 
naturalist  and  political  philosopher,  for  grand  and  com- 
prehensive views.  Here  the  works  of  nature  are  dis- 
played on  a  niucli  broader  plan  than  in  the  eastern  sec- 
tion of  the  Union.  Long  ranges  of  cloud-topped  moun- 
tains, numerous  gieat  rivers,  "that  wander  through  a 
world  of  woods,"  hardly  yet  traversed,  except  hy  wild 
animals,  or  the  footsteps  of  the  roving  savage,  and  a  vast 
variety  of  soil  and  clinuite,  vegetable  and  mineral  pro- 
ductions, display,  for  the  contemplation  of  civilized  man, 
subjects  new,  interesting  and  sublime.  What  a  theatre 
in  this  extended  space,  for  the  developement,  and  we 
could  feign  hope,  triumph,  of  free  republican  institutions! 
What  means  of  multiplying  and  subsisting  millions  pf 
human  beings !  What  a  spacious  asylum  for  foreign 
emigrants,  whose  patience  and  means  of  sustaining  life 
have  been  exhausted  by  the  wretched,  tyrannic  policy  of 
the  old  world ! 


If! 


1 


111 


I 


214 


LOUISIANA. 


It  has  been  the  opinion  of  men  well  versed  in  the  geo- 
graphy and  history  of  the  country,  that  Louisiana,  as  ce- 
ded to  the  United  States,  included  all  that  part  of  North 
America  comprised  in  the  western  slope  of  the  Missis- 
sippi valley,  and  the  inclined  plane  south  of  Red  river, 
and  east  of  the  Rio  Grande  del  Norte.  The  section  of 
country  we  shall  first  attempt  to  describe,  lies  south  of 
the  Arkansaw,  and  west  of  the  Mississippi,  comprising 
two-thirds  of  the  state  of  Louisiana,  the  province  of  Tex- 
as, and  a  space  exceeding  1,000,000  square  miles  in  the 
territories  of  Missouri  and  Arkansaw.  Its  outlines  are 
distinctly  marked  by  natural  boundaries ;  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  and  Rio  Grande  del  Norte  on  the  west,  the  Ar- 
kansaw river  on  the  north,  and  the  Mississippi  on  the 
east. 

Streams — Lakes— 'Surface— 'Soil—'Vegetable  and  Mi- 
neral  productions. — A  description  of  the  Mississippi, 
Arkansaw  and  Red  rivers,  may  be  found  in  our  prelimi- 
nary remarks. 

The  Washiia  takes  its  rise  in  nortli  latitude  34°  39' 
and  v/est  longitude  19°,  between  the  Arkansaw  and  Red 
rivers.  Three  branches  unite  to  form  this  river,  about 
200  miles  from  their  sources.  Below  this  junction,  the 
Washita  pursues  a  course  a  little  east  of  south ;  runs  in 
a  direct  line  250  miles,  and  flows  into  Red  river  30  miles 
above  the  confluence  of  the  latter  with  tiie  Mississippi. 
At  a  distance  of  30  miles  above  its  mouth,  as  the  Washita 
i-uns,  after  receiving  the  tribute  of  the  Tensaw  and  Oca- 
tahoola  rivers,  it  assumes  the  name  of  Black  river. 

The  Jltchafalaya  is  an  outlet  of  the  Mississippi,  from 
which  it  commences  two  miles  below  the  junction  of  the 
latter  with  Red  ri\  er ;  and  pursuing  a  course  of  193  miles, 
it  discharges  into  a  bay  of  the  same  name,  bordering  on 
the  Gulf  coast. 


he  geo- 
,  as  ce- 
f  North 
Missis- 
1  river, 
ction  of 
outh  of 
iprising 
of  Tex- 
3  in  tlie 
ines  are 
Gulf  of 
the  Ar- 
on  the 

and  Mi- 

isi^sippi, 
prelimi- 

34°  39' 

ind  Red 

r,  about 

[ion,  the 

runs  in 

10  miles 

>issippi. 

ashita 

id  Oca- 

Ir. 

\\,  from 

of  the 

miles, 

Hng  on 


LOUISIANA. 


215 


{Southwest  of  Red  river,  another  groupe  of  rivers,  all 
pursuing  nearly  a  southeast  course,  flow  towards  the 
Gulf.  Of  this  description  are  the  Teche,  Mermentau, 
Calcassiu,  Sabine,  Trinity,  Brassos  a  Dios,  Colorado, 
Guadaloupe,  St.  Antonio,  Nueces  and  Rio  Grand  del 
Norte.  Within  the  tract  intersected  by  these  streams, 
the  only  mcntains  are  the  Masserne  and  St.  Saba.  The 
Masserne,  a  projection  of  the  Chippcwan,  branches  into 
several  detached  parts  between  Red  and  Arkansaw 
rivers.  This  mountain,  though  supposed  to  abound  in 
valuable  minerals,  as  yet  has  been  but  imperfectly  ex- 
plored. 

St.  Saba,  of  which  but  little  is  known,  is  a  detached 
chain  of  mountains,  which  parts  the  head  waters  of 
streams  flowing  into  Red  river  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

The  region  between  the  Arkansaw  river  and  tiie  Gulf 
of  Mexico,  may  be  classed  into  two  distinct  species  of 
soil  and  surface,  the  alluvial  and  the  dry  and  sandy  ; 
the  latter,  partly  praira  and  partly  forest,  lying  principal- 
ly to  the  west  and  southwest  of  the  former.  The  flooded 
marsh,  bordering  the  Gulf  coast,  may  be  considered  but 
the  termination  of  each  species. 

The  extent  of  praira  in  the  state  of  Louisiana,  has 
been  much  overrated.  Including  the  swamps  bordering 
on  the  Gulf  coast,  it  cannot  exceed  one-fifth  part  of  the 
whole  surface.  With  the  exception  of  small  parcels  scat- 
tered over  the  country,  the  prairas  are  all  connected  in 
one  continuous  body,  winding  in  various  forms  of  ramifi- 
cation, from  the  Pearl  to  the  Sabine  river. 

There  are  two  routes  from  New-Orleans  to  Opelousaa 
and  Attacapas ;  the  upper  by  Plaquemine,  and  the  lower 
by  Lafourche  and  Teche.  The  former  is  most  used  in 
transporting  articles  of  commercje,  which  are  commonly 


^^^mmmmimmmmmm 


gl6 


LOUISIANA. 


carried  in  large  barges  from  20  to  50  tons  byrden.  A 
communication  on  water  is  practicable  by  the  Plaque- 
mine,  only  when  the  Mississippi  is  high.  The  former  is 
a  small  outlet  from  the  Mississippi,  which  ceases  to  flow 
when  tlie  latter  falls  about  10  feet. 

The  banks  of  Plaquemine  are  very  fertile.  As  tlicy 
recede  from  the  Mississippi,  they  are  gradua'Jy  depress- 
ed. This  stream  runs  !>ut  15  miles  before  it  joins  the 
Atchafalaya.  The  left  shore  only  of  Plaquemine  is  in- 
habited ;  the  other  being  too  'ow  for  cultivation.  Some 
valuable  farms  are  to  be  founl  on  this  stream,  of  which 
the  produce,  generally, is  cotton  and  lumber. 

The  Atchafalaya  fljws  with  great  rapidity,  when  the 
Mississippi  is  high,  but  during  low  water,  no  current 
enters,  and  the  whole  length  of  the  stream  becomes  stag- 
nant. Some  few  settlements  have  been  made  on  the 
banks  ;  but,  although  the  soil  is  rich,  so  much  of  it  is  in- 
undated, that  little  remains  fit  for  cultivation.  On  its 
left  shore,  for  about  six  miles  from  its  efflux,  a  narrow 
strip  of  high  land  borders  the  stream;  and  below  the 
Bayou  de  Glaize,  which  enters  it  from  the  west,  a  few 
small  spots  of  high  land  appear.  The  Atchafalaya  is 
much  obstructed  by  driftwood  that  floats  out  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi. Twenty  miles  below  lake  Natchez,  the  Atcha- 
falaya joins  lake  Chetimaches,  and  three  miles  lower 
down,  receives  the  Teche  river.  Twenty  miles  below 
the  mouth  of  Teche,  the  Atchafalaya  discharges  into  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico.  If  the  rafts  which  incumber  this  river, 
were  removed,  its  channel  would  aflbrd  great  commer- 
cial facilities. 

The  route  from  Atchafalaya,  to  the  central  parts  of 
the  Attacapas,  most  frequented  by  navigators  and  travel- 
lers, leads  by  tlie  lower  Tcnsaw  into  lake  Chetimaches, 


LOUISIANA. 


217 


to  the  Fausse  point  landing,  and  thence  to  St.  Martins- 
ville.   It  can,  however,  be  used  only  in  high  water. 

Opelousas  is  bounded  south  by  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  ; 
west  by  the  Sabine  river;  north  by  31° north  latitude; 
northeast  by  the  parish  of  Avoyelles ;  east  by  Atchafa- 
iaya ;  and  southeast  by  Attacapas. 

Mtacapas  is  bounded  southwest  and  south  by  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  southwest  by  the  Opelousas,  and  north- 
east by  Atchafalaya  river.  Opelousas  covers  7600,  and 
Attacapas  5100  square  miles.  Opelousas  is  watered  by 
the  Sabine,  Calcasiu,  Merraentau,  Courtableau,  and  At- 
chafalaya: Attacapas,  by  the  Merinentau,  Vermillion, 
Teche  and  Atchafalaya.  An  immense  chain  of  lakes 
and  bays  extends  by  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  in  front  of  Ope- 
lousas and  Attacapas ;  Sabine  lake,  Calcasiu  lake,  Mer- 
inentau lake,  the  three  bays  of  Vermillion,  Cote  Blanche 
and  Atchafalaya,  and  lake  Chetimaches. 

Sabine  river  is  part  of  the  western  limit  of  the  state 
of  Louisiana,  and  a  boundary  of  Opelousas.  The  mouth 
of  this  river  lies  in  29°  36'  north  latitude  and  16°  57' 
west  longitude.  The  adjacent  country  is  an  entire,  open 
praira,  on  which  a  single  tree  is  not  visible  from  the  sea- 
shore. The  width  of  the  river,  at  its  mouth,  is  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile ;  which  width  extends  for  six  miles  up, 
where  it  expands  eight  miles  broad,  into  a  shoal  lake, 
and presei-ves  that  breadih  for  30  miles  in  extent;  its 
medium  depth  not  exceeding  three  feet.  The  country 
surrounding  this  lake  is  all  praira.  A  few  trees  of 
stinted  growth,  are  found  at  the  head  of  the  lake.  Hie 
Natchez,  pursning  nearly  a  south  course,  discharges  into 
this  lake,  within  three  miles  of  its  head  from  the  Sabine. 
Above  the  lake,  the  river  is  contracted  to  the  width  of 
200  yards ;  its  channel  winding  and  variously  ramified. 

T 


218 


LOUISIANA. 


The  praira  stretches  out  ten  miles  above  tlie  lake,  and 
terminates  in  pine  woods ;  which  is  the  prevailing  tim- 
ber on  and  near  the  Sabine.  As  far  as  the  bounds  of 
Opelousas  in  31°,  no  creeks  flow  from  the  east:  tlie 
growth  pine,  and  the  soil  barren. 

The  Calcasiu  is  the  next  river  to  the  east  of  tlie  Sabine. 
The  former  rises  in  31°  30',  and  flowing  nearly  soutli, 
falls  into  the  Gulf,  40  miles  cast  of  the  Sabine.  A  sliort 
distance  from  its  mouth,  the  Calcasiu  expands  into  a 
lake,  much  resembling,  but  more  spacious  than  the  Sa- 
bine ;  both  which  lakes  abound  with  wild  fowl,  consist- 
ing of  ducks  and  geese.  Tiiese  lakes  are  a  more  fre- 
quented retreat  for  ducks  and  geese  in  the  winter  season, 
than  anypart  of  the  western  country.  The  Mermentau 
finds  the  sources  of  all  its  branches  in  Opelousas.  The 
Bayou  Plaquemine,  Blule  Cane,  Nerpique,  and  the  Que- 
que  Tortue,  are  the  main  branches  of  the  Mermentau. 
The  country,  watered  by  the  Mermentau,  bears  a  con- 
siderable resemblance  to  those  parts  which  are  drained 
by  the  Sabine  and  the  Calcasiu  ;  but  timber  is  more  rare, 
and  growth,  which  indicates  a  better  soil,  more  abun- 
dant. The  prairas, are. more  elevated  and  diversified. 
The  lower  part  of  the  Mermentau,  like  the  two  former 
rivers,  before  it  loses  itself  in  the  ocean,  expands  into  a 
broad  lake,  narrowing,  a  few  miles  from  its  mouth,  to  the 
width  of  the  river. 

Vermillion,  is  the  next  stream  east  of  the  Mermentau. 
It  is  a  remarkable  fact,  that  the  three  last  mentioned 
rivers  and  the  Courtableau,  head  in  the  same  source. — 
The  country,  surrounding  the  Opelousas  church,  forms  a 
tableland,  which  feeds  the  extremities  of  all  these  rivers. 
Three  miles  northwest  of  Opelousas  church,  there  is,  en- 
vironed by  praira,  a  body  of  woods,  two  miles  long  and 


LOUISIANA. 


219 


a  half  a  mile  wide.  This  insulated  forest  is  called  Isle 
au  VJlnglois. 

From  the  east  side  of  this  island  of  woods,  flow  the 
head  waters  of  the  Mermentau.  The  source  of  the  river 
is  a  spacious,  low,  wet  plain.  The  waters  slowly  col- 
lecting to  a  channel,  pass  to  the  southward  within  a  mile 
of  Opelousas  church ;  and  after  preserving  that  course 
about  three  miles,  divide ;  one  part  running  eastward 
into  Bayou  Bourbee,  contributes  to  form  the  Vermillion ; 
the  other  runs  southwest  into  Bayou  Plaquemine,  Brule, 
and  finally  into  the  Mermentau  river. 

Bayou  Crrand  Louis  rises  20  miles  northwest  from 
Opelousas  church,  in  the  Grand  Praira  ;  and  in  its  pro- 
gress receives  the  waters  from  the  various  prairas  which 
surround  it,  and  at  Carron's  landing,  becomes  a  large 
creek.  A  branch,  flowing  eastward  of  Opelousas  court 
house,  joins  Bayou  Grand  Louis,  at  Carron's  landing, 
and  after  flowing  half  a  mile,  divides  ;  one  part  running 
to  the  southeast,  forms  the  Teche  ;  and  the  other  part, 
by  the  name  of  Bayou  Carron,  after  a  course  of  two 
miles,  falls  into  the  Courtableau  river.  After  leaving 
Bayou  Carron,  the  Teche  flows  to  the  southeast  7  miles, 
receives  an  outlet  of  the  Courtableau,  which  leaves  the 
river  at  Bare's.  Below  the  junction,  the  stream  flows 
to  the  southward  ten  miles,  and  receives  from  the  west. 
Bayou  Bourbee.  The  latter  stream  is  formed  from  the 
various  drains  of  the  prairas  to  the  southward  of  Opelou- 
sas church.  Its  extreme  northern  source  is,  as  has  been 
observed,  three  miles  north  of  the  latter  place ;  but  is, 
at  the  church,  only  a  mere  drain  ;  continues  to  the  south 
about  8  miles,  and  is  augmented  by  Chertien's  Bayou, 
a  large  creek  from  Praira  Bellevue ;  it  then  turn^  north- 
east, along  the  Grand  Coteaux,  about  four  miles,  and 


230 


LOUISIANA. 


divides ;  one  part  turning  east,  enters  the  Teche  ;  the 
other  south,  receives  Bayou  Carrion  Crow,  three  miles 
below,  and  thence  the  united  streams  bear  the  name  of 
Vermillion  river. 

The  Vermillion  continues  to  flow  southward  ten  miles, 
is  augmented  by  the  Bayou  Queque  Tortue,  fiom  the 
vicinity  of  St.  Martinsville,  and  turns  to  the  southwest 
16  or  17  miles.  In  about  30°  north  latitude,  the  Vermil- 
lion again  bends  to  the  southeast  10  miles,  and  then  as- 
sumes a  south  course  of  12  miles,  and  falls  into  Vermil- 
lion Bay. 

Below  the  Fusilier,  the  Teche  forms  a  great  bend  to 
the  eastward,  southward  and  westward,  of  12  miles,  in 
a  channel  almost  as  uniform  as  if  formed  by  art.  It 
then  recurves  southeastward  five  miles,  and  assumes  a 
south  course  15  miles,  passes  St.  Martinsville,  and  flows 
to  St,  Maur's  plantation  ;  where  commences  the  Fausse 
point  bend.  This  latter  curve  is  22  miles  in  circuit, 
and  yet  the  river  returns  within  less  than  a  mile  and  a 
half  of  St.  Maur's  house.  The  river  then  bends  to  the 
southward,  and  about  two  miles  from  this  turn,  passes 
New-Iberia  :  it  being  only  9  miles  from  St.  Martinsville 
to  New-Iberia  by  land,  and  more  than  SO  by  water. 

Below  New-Iberia,  the  Teche  flows  20  miles  southeast 
to  Sorell's  plantation,  where  the  river  turns  to  the  east- 
ward, and  in  a  direct  distance  of  IS  miles,  to  the  court 
house  of  St.  Mary's,  forms  two  great  bends.  Below  the 
latter,  the  river  flows  south  of  east  25  miles  and  falls 
into  the  Atchafalaya.  The  length  of  the  Teche,  if 
Bayou  Grand  Louis  is  included,  is  170  miles. 

The  Teche  presents  a  singular  phenomenon  in  geo- 
graphy, of  which  a  parallel  cannot,  perhaps,  be  found  on 
the  globe.    It  widens  and  deepens,  for  more  than  100 


LOUISIANA. 


221 


theast 
east- 
court 
ow  the 
falls 
he,  if 

geo- 
nd  on 
n  100 


miles  in  length,  without  any  visible  source  of  an  increase 
of  its  waters.  At  the  mouth  of  Bayou  Fusilier,  the  Teche 
is,  at  low  water,  not  more  than  thre*^  feet  deep,  and  about 
fifty  yards  from  high  bank  to  high  bank ;  but  where  it 
enters  the  Atchafalaya  it  is  upwards  of  two  hundred 
yards  wide,  and  more  than  twenty  feet  in  depth.  Ves- 
sels drawing  five  feet  water,  pass  to  New-Iberia,  and  the 
tide  often  flows  above  that  place.  Notwithstanding  there 
are  more  bends  than  can  be  found  in  almost  any  other 
river  of  the  same  magnitude-  yet  the  channel  is  as  regu- 
lar as  though  formed  by  a  skilful  engineer.  The  banks 
are  elevated  generally  above  the  highest  floods,  and  are 
evidently  the  deposit  of  alluvial  soil.  The  Teche,  whose 
banks  gradually  slope  on  each  side  of  the  river,  must 
have  derived  its  channel  from  a  state  of  things  which  no 
longer  exists,  and  the  waters  which  flowed  in  its  present 
course  must  have  formerly  been  vastly  more  abundant. 
The  fertility  of  the  soil  covering  the  borders  of  this  river 
is  inexhaustible ;  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  of  any  lands 
being  of  a  superior  quality. 

The  Courtableau  intersects  some  of  the  most  valuable 
cultivated  parts  of  Opelousas,  and  is  formed  by  the  con- 
fluent streams  of  the  bayous  Crockodile  and  Beeuf,  which, 
after  flowing  from  the  pine  hills  southwest  of  Alexandria, 
in  the  parish  of  Rapides,  in  a  nearly  parallel  course  for 
about  70  miles  by  a  direct  line,  unite  eight  miles  north  of 
Opelousas  church. 

Most  of  the  prairas,  as  before  remarked,  within  the  state 

of  Louisiana,  that  spread  out  in  various  ramifications,  are 

in  a  manner  connected  in  one  continuous  tract  Of  those 

prairas  we  shall  proceed  to  ^ve  a  description,  in  order, 

according  to  their  position,  beginning  with  those  that  lie 

«ontiguoU3  td  the  Sabine. 

t2 


M^ 


LOUISIANA. 


It 


The  Sabine  Fraira  spreads  over  all  the  space  between 
the  Sabine  river  and  the  Calcasiu.  Near  the  sea  shore, 
this  praira  terminates  in  an  extensive  marsh ;  but  from 
the  shore  there  is  a  gradual  ascent  of  surface  back  into 
the  country,  and  on  approaching  the  woods  the  land  is 
considerably  elevated.  The  soil,  resembling  the  pine 
woods,  is  mostly  sterile.  But  few  settlements  have  been 
made,  nor  will  they  probably  be  multiplied  for  many 
years.  The  United  States  hitherto  have  ordered  no  sur- 
veys on  the  Sabine.  The  settlers  on  the  borders  of  that 
stream  either  hold  grants  under  the  French  or  Spanish 
governments,  or  have  seated  themselves  down  as  unau- 
thorised intruders.  The  French  government,  althougli 
they  always  extended  their  claim  of  territory  to  the  Rio 
Grand  del  Norte,  never  granted  any  lands  west  of  the 
Mermentau ;  and  grants  from  the  Spanish  ha^^e  never 
been  made  of  more  than  two  or  three  tracts.  The  order 
of  survey,  by  the  United  States,  was  limited  south  of  Red 
river,  to  the  meridian  of  Natchitoches,  which  excluded 
the  country  on  the  Sabine. 

Calcasiu  Praira,  including  the  marsh  west  of  Mermen- 
tau lake,  is  70  miles  long,  averaging  a  width  of  20  miles 
wide,  embracing  a  space  of  896,000  acres.  Of  this  tract 
nearly  650,000  acres,  in  point  of  elevation,  would  admit 
of  cultivation ;  but  the  soil  is  thin  and  sterile.  Where 
any  timber  grows,  the  praira  is  skirted  by  pine  woods. 
Black  jack  oak,  mixed  with  pine,  grow  along  the  Nez- 
pique.  On  bayou  Lacasine,  the  woods  are  composed  of 
pine,  oak,  hickory  and  ash,  on  the  high  land  5  and  cypress 
and  maple  in  the  swamps.  The  be  t  soil  is  on  the  north- 
west part  of  this  praira,  near  the  little  and  upper  lake  of 
Calcasiu ;  where  the  timber  is  pine,  black  and  red  oak, 
hickory,  ash,  and  other  trees  indicating  a  second  rate  soil. 


LOUISIANA* 


S23 


Some  spots  there  are  naturally  fertile,  but  the  surface  is 
generally  sterile.  A  few  grants  were  inatlc  by  the  Spa- 
nish government,  of  small  tracts  on  the  waters  of  Calca- 
siu ;  and  some  settlements  have  been  made  tliere,  with- 
out any  grant ;  but  the  greater  portion  remains  undispo- 
sed of,  and  unoccupied.  The  soil,  tliough  ordinary,  being 
too  abundant  in  clay,  is  superior  to  that  on  tiie  waters  of 
the  Sabine. 

The  eastern  border  of  the  Calcasiu  praira,  on  tlie  wa- 
ters of  the  Mermentau  river,  is  considerably  settled. — 
Some  of  the  largest  stocks  of  cattle  in  Opelousas  range 
here.  The  farmers  enrich  their  fields  with  the  manure 
afforded  by  folding  their  cattle.  The  people  in  this  quar- 
ter lead  a  pastoral  life.  Agriculture  is  pursued  only  to 
obtain  such  products  as  are  used  in  their  families.— 
Their  buildings  and  mode  of  living  bespeak,  to  a  stran- 
ger, the  frugal  simplicity  of  the  inhabitants. 

A  journey  from  New-Orleans  to  the  mouth  of  the  Sa- 
bine, displays  distinctly  the  various  conditions  of  man, 
from  the  palace  to  the  meanest  log  cabin :  all  the  various 
grades  of  civilized  state,  from  the  most  polished  and  en- 
lightened society,  to  that  of  the  rudest  stage  above  the 
savage.  In  the  city  of  New-Orleans,  four  or  five  of  the 
most  learned  and  polite  languages  of  Europe  are  spoken 
in  their  greatest  purity.  All  the  luxury,  that  wealth  and 
mechanical  ingenuity  can  bestow,  is  enjoyed  by  certain 
foreigners,  and  those  who  have  accumulated  riches  from 
merchandize,  and  the  labor  of  numerous  slaves  bestowed 
on  a  wonderfully  rich  soil,  productive  of  the  mest  valua- 
ble crops,  sugar  and  cotton.  The  various  conditions  of 
man,  between  luxurious  wealth  and  squalid  poverty,  a 
life  of  ease  and  incessant  labor,  suggest  reflections  inter- 
(stiug  to  the  moralist  and  politician.    A  traveller,  after 


S24 


LOUISIANA. 


sun'eying  the  superb  mansions,  tlie  splendid  equipaue 
and  luxuriant  tables  of  the  wealthy  citizens  in  Ncvv-Or- 
leans,  traversing  the  country  to  Opelousas  and  Attacapas, 
will  find  at  the  latter  places,  as  a  substitute  for  the  whow 
and  luxuriousenjoymcntsof  life,  a  substantial  independ- 
ence enjoyed  by  the  cultivators  of  the  soil,  as  far  removed 
from  the  annoyance  of  want,  as  from  excessive  gratifita- 
tion«h— their  habits  frugal,  but  hospitable;  tlieir  habita- 
tions  not  showy,  rather  rough,  but  strong  and  conve- 
nient ;  their  beds  neat  and  good  ;  and  their  food  whole- 
some and  abundant.  In  the  west  of  Opelousas  our  traveller 
would  find  a  society  of  men,  that  are  real  pastoral  hunt- 
ers ;  who  remind  us  of  the  early  period  of  history,  when 
man  divided  his  time  between  the  chace  of  game  in  the 
forests,  and  the  care  of  his  flocks.  But  we  will  return 
from  this  digression  to  resume  our  subject. 

Praira  Menou  occupies  a  space  between  two  branches 
of  the  Mermentau,  the  Nezpique  and  Plaquemine  Brule. 
It  is  about  40  by  5  miles  in  extent,  and  contains  128,000 
acres.  There  is  a  great  variety  in  the  soil  and  growtli 
of  timber,  which  consists  of  every  species  known  in  Ope- 
lousas, except  poplar.  Although  some  parcels  are  second 
rate  lands,  the  prevailing  character  of  the  soil  is  sterile  j 
and  the  time  of  the  inhabitants  is  chiefly  employed  in 
raising  cattle.  The  settlers  are  mostly  emigrants  from 
the  United  States ;  many  ot  whom  are  hired  stockholders. 

Grand  Praira^  immediately  east  of  praira  Menou,  is 
of  nearly  the  same  extent.  It  embraces  lands  bordering 
on  the  watersof  the  Mermentau,  Courtableau  and  Teche. 
The  soil  is  of  a  quality  superior  to  that  of  the  prairas  be- 
fore described ;  in  the  southwestern  part  it  resembles  that 
of  praira  Menou,  as  does  also  the  timber.  The  Grand 
Praira  on  its  border,  is  thickly  settled  by  farsoers  |  few 


LOUISIANA. 


of  whom  are  exclusively  employed  in  raising  cattle.  The 
population  consists  of  French  and  Americans,  (as  people 
from  the  United  States  are  there  commonly  called)  the 
former  the  most  numerous  and  wealthy.  Most  of  those 
lands  that  are  valuable,  were  granted  to  individuals  by 
the  governments  of  France  and  Spain.  Some  of  tlie  most 
pleasant  and  healthy  situations  in  Opelousas  are  included 
in  this  tract.  The  water  is  fine.  Although  there  are 
many  wet  places,  the  marshes  are  few,  nor  do  stagnant 
waters  exist.  The  common  crops  are  maize  and  cotton ; 
the  latter  a  staple  commodity.  Considerable  quantities 
of  beef,  pork,  butter,  cheese  and  tallow  are  produced. 
On  the  waters  of  Mermentau  are  several  species  of  oak, 
ash,  hickory,  dogwood,  pine,  linden,  laurel,  magnolia,  ma- 
ple, wild  cherry.  The  underwood,  spice  wood,  Spanish 
mulberry,  muscadine,  grape  vine,  and  other  shrubbery. 

Opelousas  Praira  extends  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico 
nearly  north,  80  miles,  and  is  bounded  on  the  east  and 
north  by  the  Vermillion  and  Teche  rivers,  and  on  the 
west  by  the  woods  of  bayou  Mellet,  bayou  Cane,  and  by 
the  Mermentau  river.  This  sea  of  grass,  on  an  average, 
is  25  miles  wide,  and  covers  1,200,000  acres.  Some  of 
the  most  thriving  settlements  in  Opelousas  and  Attaca- 
pas,  are  in  this  praira.  The  marsh,  between  Vermillion 
bay  and  tlie  lake  of  Mermentau,  is  30  miles  square :— ■ 
this  great  expanse  is  generally  covere<l  with  grass,  and 
has  some-  trees.  Near  the  sea  shores  ridges,  rising  above 
the  level  of  the  marsh,  consist  of  dry  and  solid  ground, 
covered  with  live  oak  trees.  These  ridges  appear  to  have 
been  formed  by  the  motion  of  the  sea,  and  to  have  been 
successively  abandoned,  as  otiiers  were  formed  by  the 
surf:  they  lie  parallel  to  the  shore,  and  are  separated  by 

^oons,  ponds  or  marshes :  tliey  afford  undisturbed  re- 


226 


LOUISIANA. 


treats  for  wild  animals,  such  as  deer,  turkeys  and  grouse. 

The  live  oak  tree  appears  to  designate  climate,  and 
proves  that  the  temperature  of  the  atmosphere  lowers  in 
Louisiana  by  advancing  westward.  On  the  Mobile,  live 
oak  is  found  nearly  as  far  north  as  SI".  Between  Mo- 
bile and  Mississippi  it  disappears  above  30°  SO',  whilst 
on  the  latter  stream  it  falls  ten  miles  further  south.  On 
Atchafalaya,  above  Crow  island,  it  is  found  as  high  as 
30°  20'.  That  the  existence  of  live  oak  depends  on 
local  position,  is  shown  by  the  circumstance  of  its  grow- 
ing further  north,  both  east  and  west,  than  on  the  Mis- 
sissippi ;— ^the  current  of  air  descending  that  river,  redu- 
ces to  a  lower  temperature  the  region  of  air  contiguous 
to  its  banks. 

Beihvue  Praira  exceeds  thirty  miles  in  length,  from 
north  to  south,  and  is  about  six  miles  from  east  to  west. 
This  name  is  significantly  expressive  of  the  place.  The 
most  charming,  productive,  and  best  cultivated  parts  of 
Opelousas  and  Attacapas  are  to  be  found  in  this  praira. 
On  the  eastern  border  of  which,  upon  an  elevated  spot, 
stj^nds  the  church  of  St.  Land  re ;  and  the  town  and  seat 
of  justice  for  the  parisli  is  located  in  a  projection  of  the 
praira.  Opelousas  contained  upwards  of  5,000  inhabi- 
tants in  1810,  of  which  more  than  one  half  resided  in  the 
Bellevue. 

The  eastern  border  of  Bellevue  is  variegated  ;  much 
of  the  surface  rolling;  the  land  extremely  fertile;  the 
middle  parts  fertile ;  some  parts  elevated ;  mostly  flat 
and  wet,  but  not  marsliy.  The  western  pa;ts,  upon 
bayou QuequeTortue, bayou  Plaquemine  Trule  and  bayou 
Mellet,  vary  with  the  general  effect  of  these  several 
water  courses;  uponQueque  Tortue  the  soil  is  sterile— 
upon  Plaquemine  Brule  and  Mellet,  of  second  quality— 


ges  of  V 
iji  this  pi 
pioductii 
parts  of  i 
as  the  oli 
tensive  ai 
the  Atchi 
there  heir 
ofthat  sti 
tacapas,  c 
tants,  one 
Teche,  in( 
Iberia. 

The  soi 
Teche  disf 


LOUISIANA. 


*  t^ 


•ouse. 
?,  and 
ers  in 
e,  live 
n  Mo- 
whilst 
I.    On 
jigh  as 
ids  on 
5  grow-    I 
le  Mis- 
r,  ledu- 
itiguous 

th,  from 
to  west. 
e.    The 

parts  of 
5  praira. 

ed  spot, 

and  seat 
■n  of  the 
inhabi- 

d  in  the 

much 
iile ;  the 
itly  flat 
Is,  upon 
Id  bavou 
several 
Uerile— 
Lality— 


tlie  northern  part,  upon  bayou  Grand  Louis  partaking  of 
tlie  beauty  and  fertility  of  the  land  of  Teche.  The  afore- 
mentioned names  designate  bays,  wliich  are  ramifications 
from  the  main  praira,  in  the  direction  of  the  several 
streams,  from  which  their  distinctive  appellations  have 
been  taken.  In  the  three  latter  prairas  the  land  is  gen- 
erally flat  and  wet  affording  good  pasturage — some  parts 
high  enough  for  tillage.  In  this,  as  in  most  of  the  prai- 
ras of  Opelousas  and  Attacapas,  thouj^ii  the  soil  be  thin, 
it  retains  manure  with  great  tenacity,  there  being  but  a 
small  portion  of  sand  in  its  composition.  Bellevus  pra- 
ira is  skirted  vvith  an  excellent  growth  of  timber,  inclu- 
ding various  kinds  of  oak. 

JUtacajms  Praira  occupies  the  space  between  the 
woods  of  Vermillion  and  Teche,  being  about  40  miles  iQ 
length,  but  of  unequal  breadth,  lying  in  the  form  of  a  tri- 
angle ;  the  base  of  which  rests.upon  Teche  river,  the  per- 
pendicular extending  nearly  to  New-Iberia.  Many  ran- 
ges of  woods  chequer  this  praira.  The  elevated  lands 
ill  this  praira  are  extremely  fertile,  and  all  the  vegetable 
productions  known  in  Louisiana  will  grow  in  the  various 
parts  of  it;  and  probably  many  not  yet  introduced, such 
as  the  olivCi  would  flourish,  if  cultivated.  The  most  ex- 
tensive and  wealthy  settlements  i^  Louisiana,  we:it  of 
the  Atchafalaya,  are  upon  the  right  bank  of  the  Teche ; 
there  being  a  compact  settlement  extended  on  the  banks 
of  that  stream,  as  it  runs,  a  distance  of  140  miles.  At- 
tacapas, at  present,  contains  more  than  10,000  inhabi- 
tants, one  half  of  whom  reside  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Teche,  including  the  towns  of  St.  Martinsville  and  New- 
Iberia. 

The  soil  and  surface  between  the  Vermillion  and 
Teche  display  much  variety  :  ieveral  hills  of  a  similar 


g38 


LOUISIANA. 


construction,  risi  :g  to  the  height  of  100  feet,  covered 
with  timber,  different  in  species  from  that  growing  on 
the  surroundin<»;  marshes.  On  a  little  stream  called 
Petite  Anso,  near  these  hills,  are  to  be  found  more  tlian 
40  different  species  of  trees,  including  the  live  oak,  wal- 
nut, white  and  black  hickory,  and  sweet  gum.  A  slug- 
gish bayou  iisues  from  an  impassable  marsh  environing 
the  Rills.  The  bayou  is  made  to  communicate  with  the 
Petite  Anse,  which  discharges  into  Vermillion  Bay,  by  a 
canal  cut  through  the  solid  praira,  a  causeway  being 
thrown  up  from  the  bayou  to  the  high  land.  The  island 
thus  formed  by  a  communication  between  the  streams, 
contains  about  3000  acres  of  excellent  land. 

Upon  the  Petite  An&e  a  salt  spring  has  been  formed, 
from  which  considerabio  quantities  of  salt  have  been 
manufactured.  From  its  proximity  at  first,  the  spring 
was  considered  a  mere  drain  of  the  sea,  but  by  further 
examination  it  was  ascertained,  that  the  saltness  of  the 
water  was  derived  from  other  sources.  For  several 
years  past,  tlie  adjacent  settlements  have  been  supplied 
with  salt  from  this  spring. 

Praira  Grand  Cherruil  borders  on  the  banks  of  the 
Teche,  from  eight  miles  southeast  ofOpelousas  church  to 
about  southeast  of  New-Iberia  ;  and  is  in  length  52  miles, 
with  a  medium  width  of  two.  Near  the  bank  of  the 
Teche,  the  praira,  uniformly  consists  of  a  high,  fertile 
soil.  In  approaching  the  opposite  woods,  although  the 
surface  slopes  considerably,  much  of  the  land  is  sufficient- 
ly high  for  cultivation.  Indeed,  the  greater  part  of  this 
praira  will  admit  of  cultivation.  The  settlements  bor- 
dering these  woods,  are  numerous,  among  which  are 
many  extensive  farms.  Cotton  and  maize,  which  are  the 
prevailing  crops,  grow  luxuriantly. 


w 


Til 

ous. 

of  va 

water 

side  t 

Atcha 

Pra 

Bourbi 

3  wide 

excelle 

produc 

Petit 

and  Pn 

On  til 

off%  Ca 

ofthesej 

most  of 

Wickofl 

Opelous; 

which  is 

mences 

laya  :  n.,\ 

of.w, 


V. 


plains  01 

an  impass 

>  the  no 

•ortheast, 

ty  bayouj 

and  almois 

'•-.t^yee 

*re  the  hil 


LOUISIANA. 


239 


^^'^ 


a 


erei\ 
g  on 
illed 
than 
wal- 
slug- 
oning 
th  the 
r,bya 
being 
island 
rearis, 

'ormed, 
ve  been 
i  spring 
1  further 
of  the 
several 
upplied 


of  the 
\urcb  to 

2  miles, 
of  i.he 
fertile 

lugh  the 

Ifficient- 
of  this 
its  bor- 

Uich  are 
are  the 


The  local  position  of  this  praira  is  highly  advantage- 
ous. Its  proximity  to  an  abundance  of  excellent  timber 
of  various  species,  and  the  convenience  of  navigable 
waters,  greatly  increase  the  value  of  these  lands.  Be- 
side the  mouth  of  the  Teche,  there  are  five  outlets  into 
Atchafalaya  river. 

Praira  Laurent,  inclosed  between  the  Teche,  Bayou 
Bourbee  and  Bayou  Fusilier,  is  about  7  miles  long  and 
3  wide.  The  high  parts  of  this  praira  are  covered  by  an 
excellent  soil.  It  embraces  several  fine  farms,  which 
produce  cotton  and  maize  in  abundance. 

Petite  Bois  and  Romaine  lie  above  Priara  Laurent 
and  Praira  Chevrevl,  along  the  Teche. 

On  the  Courtableau  are  Prairas  Bare,  Alabama,  Wick' 
off's,  Carron's  Le  Melle'^%  and  one  or  two  more.  None 
of  these,  except  Wickoffs,  exceed  two  miles  in  length  ; 
most  of  them  about  one ;  but  all  are  extremely  fertile. 
WickoflPs  praira  is  the  termination,  to  the  northeast  of 
Opelousas,  of  the  natural  meadows.  Beyond  this  praira, 
which  is  four  miles  long,  and  one  and  a  half  wide,  com- 
mences a  heavy  forest,  which  continues  to  the  Atchafa- 
laya :  ft *»  impervious  cane  brak«5  spreads  over  many  parts 
of? 

ii  i-ay  :e  generally  observed,  that  the  high,  arable 
plains  01  .t'  icapas  and  Opelousas,  are  bounded  south  by 
an  impassable  morass ;  to  the  west  by  continuous  prairas ; 
'  J  the  northwc^  ^  by  open,  dry  pine  woods  ;  and  to  the 
.ortheast,  by  an  annually  inundated  expanse,  intersected 
by  bayous,  chequered  by  lakes,  or  covered  by  a  forest, 
and  almost  impenetrable  with  cane  and  palmetto  brakes. 

Bi-tVeen  the  settlements  of  Opelousas,  and  those  of 
A.y^,j<..h'^f  &bout  15  miles  in  a  direct  line,  from  each, 
are  the  hills  and  praira  of  Bayou  Rouge.    At  a  good  dis- 

u 


I 


u^l 


^30 


LOUISIANA. 


tance  from  Opelousas,  the  timber,  soil  and  surface  re- 
semble the  woodland  in  many  places,  within  four  or  five 
miles  of  the  church  of  the  latter ;  whilst  an  annually 
inundated  swamp,  totally  different  from  either,  inter- 
venes. 

Bayou  Rouge  hill  rises  abruptly  from  low  lands,  40 
feet  above  the  surrounding  level,  which  is  covered  with 
cypress,  swamp,  white  oak  and  other  trees,  similar  to 
those  growing  on  inundated  lands.      The  liill  is  about 
three  miV.s  in  diameter,  being  nearly  round  and  about 
two-thirti  i         e  surface  praira.     From  the  northeast  of 
this  hill,  isss    .  a  spring  of  pure  water.    Upon  the  em- 
minence  above  the  spring,  a  traveller  may  be  seated,  at 
the  root  of  a  black  oak,  surrounded  by  dogwood,  mulber- 
ry and  other  trees,  scarcely  ever  found  on  the  borders  of 
land  subject  to  inundation  by  the  Mississippi  ;  and  re- 
main within  100  yards  of  lands  flooded  by  water,  four 
or  five  feet  deep,  every  spring.     The  trees  and  shrubs 
of  this  humbly  elevated  hill,  a:e  as  distinct  from  those  on 
the  swamp  surrounding  the  hill,  as  if  they  grew  in  differ- 
ent climates.     On  this  hill  resides  a  small  tribe  of  To- 
nica  Indians ;  who  have  adopted  many  of  the  manners 
and  customs  of  the  French,  as  also  their  manners  of  cul- 
tivating the  soil.     Their  nation,  in  1731,  experienced  a 
melancholy   fate  ;  being  chiefly  destroyed,  at  Tonica 
village,  on  the  Mississippi,  below  Red  river,  by  the  tribe 
of  Natchez  ;    who,  two  years  before,    massacred  the 
French  settlers,  at  the  now  town  of  Natchez.    Almost 
the  whole  tribe  of  the  latter  were,  in  their  turn,  destroy- 
ed by  the  French.    The  Tonicas  were  always  in  friend- 
ly alliance  with  the  French.    The  small  remnant  of  To- 
nicas who  survived,  under  tlie  protection  of  the  French, 
removed  to  Baton  Rouge  hill,  where  their  descendants 


LOUISIANA. 


231 


re- 


to  the  number  of  40  or  50  persons,  still  resifle  ;  and  like 
the  Frencii,  they  cultivate  cotton  and  maize.  Their 
residence  being  surrounded  by  flood  waters  several 
months  in  the  year,  forms  a  retreat,  almost  as  secluded  as 
a  desert  island  in  the  unfrequented  parts  of  the  ocean. 
From  near  the  hill  flows  a  stream,  called  Bayou  Rouge, 
as  also,  one  further  south,  called  Bayou  Petite  Praira, 
nearly  parallel  ;  both  of  which  enter  Atchafalaya,  ten 
miles  apart.  Upon  each  of  these  bayous,  particularly 
the  latter,  are  considerable  tracts  of  excellent  land  :  but 
the  obstruction  to  navigation  caused  by  tlie  raft  in  Atcha- 
falaya, it  is  supposed  will  retard  improvements  for  a 
long  period.  The  region  between  Opelousas  and  Bayott 
Rouge,  is  thickly  covered  with  trees  of  an  extraordinary 
size.  In  this  prodigious  heavy  timbered  forest,  is  an  im- , 
mense  quantity  of  fine  white  oak,  and  cypress. 

tDTatural  features^  productions,  settlements  and  towns 
in  Opelousas  and  Attacapas. — The  names  of  Attacapai 
and  Opelousas,  were  derived  from  two  tribes  of  Indians, 
who  formerly  inhabited  those  regions  :  the  former  resid- 
ed near  the  head  of  Teche.  The  country  was  discovered 
and  settled  by  the  French,  about  the  year  1750.  In  the 
early  settlement,  of  the  country,  the  whole  tract  was 
called  Attacapas.  It  was  after  formed  by  the  French 
into  two  separate  commandaries ;  one  retaining  the  name 
of  Attacapas,  and  the  other  receiving  that  of  Opelousas. 
The  dividing  boundary  between  the  two  districts,  is  the 
Mermentau,  from  its  mouth  by  the  eastern  branch,  called 
Queque  Tortue,  in  the  direction  of  that  stream,  to  the 
Atchafalaya.  As  the  natural  position  of  the  two  afore- 
mentioned districts  is  nearly  the  same,  it  will  be  proper 
to  describe  them  geographically,  as  one  entire  tract. 


LOUISIANA. 


The  contrast,  to  the  vye  of  a  traveller,  between  the 
dark  an<l  silent  gloom  in  tlie  thick,  heavy  timbered,  in- 
undated lands  of  Atchafalaya,  and  the  open,  light,  and 
cheerful  expansion  of  the  wide  spread  prairas  of  Opelou- 
sas  aild  Attacapas,  produce  surprising  and  agreeable 
emotions.  In  a  route  by  the  mouth  of  the  Teche,  into 
Attacapas,  after  landing  at  Renthrop's  ferry,  the  most 
^.nteresting  object  which  will  arrest  the  attention  of  thi; 
spectator,  is  the  rich  borders  of  the  Teche,  lined  with 
live  oak,  black  oak,  sweet  gum  and  laurel  magnolia  ;  the 
arable  margin  narrow  and  extending  down  the  Atchafa- 
laya  five  or  six  miles  below  the  mouth  of  the  Teche.  Up 
the  latter,  as  far  as  Sorrel's,  the  same  physiognomy  i» 
18  displayed :  narrow  prairas  extending  along  the  river, 
with  a  margin  covered  by  wood.  At  Sorrel's,  the  praira 
immediately  expands,  and  opens  on  the  traveller  a  broad 
expanse  of  grass  covered  surface,  denuded  of  wood,  that 
stretches  to  Rio  Grand  del  Norte. 

At  the  lower  extrimity  of  Fausse  point,  in  a  short, 
deep  bend  of  the  Teche,  on  the  vt^estbank,  stands  New- 
Tberia,  a  port  of  entry,  at  the  head  of  schooner  naviga- 
tion. It  is  an  elegant  site,  commanding  a  charming, 
diversified  prospect.  The  adjacent  country  is  one  of  the 
most  fertile,  populous,  and  best  cultivated  tracts  in  At- 
tacapas. This  village  occupies  the  extremity  of  an  em- 
minence  scarcely  perceptible,  projecting  southwestward- 
lyfrom  the  banks  of  the  Teche,  and  forming  the  ground 
which  embraces  the  settlement  of  Cote  Gele,  between 
New-Iberia  and  Vermillion  river.  This  prominence  is 
moderately  elevated  abov«j  the  banks  of  the  Teche ;  but 
the  soil  is  essentially  different.  The  Vermillion  inter- 
sect? this  swell  of  land,  on  which  is  the  principal  penult 
«ettlement,  west  of  that  stream  ;  thence  turning  north- 


LOUISIANA. 


233 


ward,  this  eminence  stretches  out  through  Opelousas, 
and  gradually  acquiring  elevation,  shoots  up,  near  Red 
river,  into  hills  of  considerable  height.  Schistous  sand 
stone  is  displayed  in  the  base  of  these  hills,  on  the  head 
waters  of  bayous  Boeuf  and  Crockodile.  Rarely  has  any 
considerable  quantity  of  stone,  on,  or  under  the  surface, 
been  discovered  in  Attacapas,  or  tlie  lower  parts  of 
Opelousas. 

The  ground  occupied  by  New-Iberia,  although  twenty 
feet  above  the  highest  waters,  is  alluvial.  The  site  of 
the  town  separates  two  bodies  of  land,  which  though 
formed  from  the  same  sources,  have  been  deposited  at 
periods  of  time  widely  distant.  The  hills,  being  more 
rolling  than  tJie  banks  of  the  Teche,  are  preferable  for 
agriculture.  The  district  between  New-Iberia  and  Ope- 
lousas church,  embracing  the  ridge  of  hills,  is  among  the 
most  pleasant,  populous,  and  best  cultivated  parts  of  the 
country. 

The  price  of  Iknd,  here  may  be  considered  from  five 
to  fifty  dollars  per  acre ;  according  to  situation,  quality 
of  soil,  and  degree  of  improvements.  The  price  is,  how- 
ever, less  than  on  the  Teche }  generally  more  so  than  in 
proportion  to  the  intrinsic  value. 

The  high  lands  seldom  extend  to  the  margin  of  the 
Vermillion,  which  flows  through  low,  inundated  bottoms ; 
on  the  other  hand,  the  highest  lands,  adjacent  to  the 
Teche,  are  on  its  banks  j  where  marshes  never  occur,  and 
arc  but  seldom  found  near  it. 

The  borders  of  the  Vermillion  are  very  low,  but  nearly 
as  rich  as  those  of  the  Teche. 

8t.  Martinsmlle^  the  seat  of  justice  for  the  parish  of 
St.  Martins,  is  th^  next  largest  town  to  Natchitoches* 
\Vest  of  Atchftfalaya  river,  in  Louisiana.    It  standi  on 

V8! 


fm: 


LOUISIANA. 


the  west  bank  of  tlie  Tcche,  30°  10'  N.  lat.  nine  miles  by 
land,  and  thirty-two  by  water,  above  New-Iberia.  Al- 
though this  town  is  favorably  situated  for  commerce,  in 
a  productive,  well  cultivated  country,  its  surface  is  too 
flat,  and  its  streets,  in  rainy  seasons,  exceeding  muddy. 
The  church  of  Attacapas  being  placed  here,  gave  rise  to 
the  town.  Under  the  Spanish  government,  the  towns 
where  their  churches  have  been  erected, uniformly  become 
places  for  transacting  public  business. 

Above  St.  Martinsville,  there  are  no  more  towns  in 
Attacapas.  Upon  both  banks  of  the  Teche,  upon  tlie 
Vermillion,  and  intermediate  streams,  ther  country  is  well 
settled.  Tlie  soil  is  productive  of  large  crops  of  cotton, 
which  is  the  chief  object  of  cultivation.     . 

The  value  of  lands,  is  generally  among  the  first  enqui- 
ries of  a  traveller ;  to  which  no  definite  answer  can  be 
given :  the  price  varying,  according  to  the  relative  situa- 
tion, the  quality  of  the  soil,  the  crops  of  wl\ich  it  is  pro- 
ductve,  the  improvements  made,  the  surrounding  settle- 
ments, and  various  other  considerations.  Lands  where 
sugar  can  be  produced,  next  to  them  cotton,  will,  other 
circumstances  being  equal,  always  command  the  greatest 
prices. 

In  all  parts  of  the  United  States,  the  cotton  plant  is 
secure  from  vernal  and  autumnal  frosts,  below  55°  N.  lat. 
where,  if  the  soil  be  congenial,  a  proprietor  of  land  may 
surely  calculate  on  good  crops  of  cotton,  by  bestowing  a 
proper  degree  of  cultivation.  Further  north,  the  crops, 
though  they  may  grow  luxuriantly,  are  precarious,  from 
the  effects  of  frost.  In  like  m-anner  30°  north  may  be 
considered  the  northern  boundary  for  the  growth  of  su- 
gar cane.  But  as  climate  is  not  uniformly  regulated  by 
degrees  of  latitude,  there  are  considerable  exceptions  t*^ 


LOUISIANA. 


235 


this  position ;  there  being  a  great  variety  of  causes,  wliich 
do  not  exist  in  all  places,  that  combine  to  moderate  the 
temperature  of  the  air.  The  region  around  Mobile  bay 
is  a  remarkable  instance  of  this  kind. 

Sugar  cane  flourishes  well  in  the  lower  region  mean- 
dered by  the  river  Teche.  Beside  cotton,  which  is  the 
prevailing  crop  in  the  greater  parts  of  Attacapas  and 
Opelousas,  tlie  raising  of  cattle  and  horses  is  tlie  main 
employment  of  the  people,  living  in  those  parts  where 
the  surface  is  fiat,  and  the  soil  wet  and  thin ;  there  are 
situations  where  the  cotton  plant  will  not  thrive.  Much 
of  the  region  bordering  on  the  Mermentau,  Calcasiu  and 
Sabine  rivers,  is  of  this  description.  There  are  prodigious 
stocks  of  cattle  reared,  with  ^neat  profit  to  the  proprie- 
tors, who  furnisli  the  New-Orleans  market  with  beef,  but- 
ter and  cheese.  The  climate  is  so  moderate,  the  cattle 
subsist,  winter  and  summer,  entirely  on  the  extensive 
ranges  which  the  spacious  prairas  constitute,  abounding 
in  wild  praira  grass,  and  sometimes  in  cane  brakes. — 
The  horses  of  the  country  are  the  descendant  of  the 
Andalusian  and  Numidian  race.  Like  their  ancestors, 
they  are  small,  compactly  and  vigorously  bui|t,  and  cal- 
culated to  endure  labor  and  fatigue  almost  beyond  con- 
ception. The  cattle  are  as  distinguishable  from  those  of 
the  northern  states,  as  if  they  were  a  distinct  species : 
they  are  sleek  as  moles,  nimble  and  high  mettled,  and 
elegantly  formed ;  their  flesh  is  well  flavored  and  good, 
but  tiieir  lacteal  depositories  are  so  small,  that  they  aftbrd 
but  little  milk. 

It  is  rare  in  this  country  that  cattle  are  either  fed, 
salted  or  sheltered.^  The  want  of  sheds  and  food  in 
winter  have  occasionally,  in  cold  storms,  proved  destruc- 
tive to  the  stocks ;  one-foartli  of  which,  after  the  severe 


;^6 


LOUISIANA. 


snow  storm  of  January,  1812,  perished.  It  would  seem, 
from  the  liability  to  these  casualties,  that  stock  proprie- 
tors ought  to  provide  shelter  and  foiage  for  the  emergen- 
cies of  extraordinary  seasons. 

In  Opelousas,  most  of  the  i)lantcr3  raise  some  sheep — . 
the  mutton  is  excellent,  but  the  wool  is  coarse.  It  re- 
mains yet  a  doubt  how  far,  in  this  climate,  the  fleece 
could  be  ameliorated  by  crossing  the  old,  or  producing 
new  breeds.  It  is  supposed  that  the  large  tracts  of  pine 
lands,  which  are  of  too  dry  and  sterile  a  soil  for  cultiva- 
tion, would  afford  fine  pasturage  for  sheep. 

It  has  been  observed,  that  climates  do  not  precisely 
conform  to  the  parallels  of  latitude.  A  line  drawn  from 
the  junction  of  the  Coosa  and  Tallapoosa  rivers,  in  Ala- 
bama, about  Sa**  30'  north  lat.  to  the  mouth  of  the  Sabine, 
nearly  in  latitude  29°  30'  excepting  the  borders  of  the 
Mississsippi,  it  has  been  thpught,  would  cross  the  inter- 
mediate region  where  prevailed  nearly  the  same  tempera- 
ture of  atmosphere,and  consequently  tlie  same  climates. 
The  exception  to  the  borders  of  the  Mississippi,  from  SO 
to  40  miles  in  width,  both  sides  inclusive,  is  formed  from 
the  expansion  of  cool  air,  which  from  the  more  northern 
regions  rushes,  without  obstruction,  down  the  river.p— 
Between  the  extremities  of  this  oblique  imaginary  line, 
supposed  to  designate  the  identity  of  climate,  we  perceive 
a  difference  of  three  degrees  of  latitude.  This  curious 
phenomenon  may  be  traced  to  the  encroachment  of  the 
ocean,  south  of  the  Mobile  coast,  on  the  land,  a  degree 
further  north,  than  to  the  westward  of  the  Mississippi ; 
to  the  shelter  on  the  north,  afforded  by  the  ridge  of  hills 
dividing  the  waters  of  the  Mobile ;  to  a  continuous,  thick 
forest  of  evergreens,  stretching  eastwardly  and  west* 
wardly  north  of  the  Mobile,  and  perhaps  also  to  the  sa»- 


diness 
naturai 
rays. 

Nort 
of  dera, 
boundai 
kingdoii 
distingu 
various 
at  45°,  h 
of  this  i\] 
»ents,  se 
not  satisi 
tural  phil 
A  profi 
tlie  trees 
for  the  ol 
and  as  th 
be  furnisl 
Wesul 
gr  wing  i 
Rec'  flowe 
wood,  bla 
cherry,  ha( 
wood,  cypi 
butternut  \ 
nutmeg  hie 
spice  woot 
laurel,  mul 
cotton  woo 
oak,  black 
post  oak,  \ 
nmcilagino 


^J 


LOUISIANA. 


g37 


diness  of  the  soil  in  wliich  the  evergreens  flourish,  that 
naturally  increase  heat,  from  the  reflections  of  the  sun's 
rays. 

Nort!\  latitude  33°  is  found,  in  North  America,  a  line 
of  (lemarkation,  forming  an  important  distinguishable 
boundary  between  different  climates,  where  the  vegetable 
kingdom  is  clothed  with  dissimilar  habiliments.  This 
distinguishable  line,  which  seems  so  much  to  separate 
various  classes  of  trees  and  plants,  in  Europe  is  found 
at  45°,  being  eight  degrees  further  north.  The  reason 
of  this  difference  between  the  eastern  and  western  conti- 
nents, seems  to  remain  among  the  arcara  of  nature,  yet 
not  satisfactorily  accounted  for,  on  the  princinles  of  na- 
tural philosophy. 

A  proficient  in  the  science  of  botany,  wouldfind  among 
tiie  trees  and  plants  in  the  eastern  section  of  Opelousas, 
for  the  object  of  curious  speculation,  as  great  a  variety, 
and  as  thrifty  and  exuberant  a  growth,  as,  perhaps,  could 
be  furnished  by  any  portion  of  the  globe,  of  equal  extent. 

We  subjoin  a  list  of  the  vast  variety  of  forest  trees, 
gi^  wing  in  the  Attacapas  and  Opelousas  region— viz. 
Rec'  flowering  maple,  box  elder,  sorrel  tree,  pawpaw,  iron 
wood,  black  birch,  catalpa,  horn  beam,  chincopin,  wild 
cherry,  hackberry,  laurier  almond,  dogwood,  swamp  dog- 
wood, cypress,  persimmon,  beech,  ash,  honey  locust,  holly, 
butternut  hickory,  water  hickory,  thick  shell  bark  hickory, 
nutmeg  hickory,  pignut  hickory,  black  walnut,  sassafras, 
8pice  wood,  red  bay,  sweet  gum,  poplar,  white  bay,  large 
laurel,  mulberry,  tupeloo,  black  gum,  buckeye,  pitch  pine, 
cotton  wood,  sycamore,  white  oak,  water  oak,  Spanish 
oak,  black  jack  oak,  swamp  maple  oak,  over  cup  oak, 
post  oak,  willow  oak,  red  oak,  black  oak,  downy  linden, 
mucilaginous  elm,  red  elm,  swamp  elm. 


S38 


LOUISIANA. 


Of  all  the  species  included  in  the  foregoing  list  of 
trees,  those  of  the  most  extraordinary  size  may,  perhaps, 
be  found  between  praira  Bellevue  and  the  Iiill  of  Baton 
Rouge. 

In  addition  to  the  larger  growth,  is  an  indefinite  vari- 
ety of  vines,  under  wood  and  shrubbery — such  as  Spanish 
mulberry,  prickly  sumach,  muscadine,  grape  vine,  white 
wood,  pond  wood,  white  thorn,  blackberry,  dewberry, 
several  species  of  the  smilax,  and  many  others.  On  the, 
banks  of  the  streams,  extensive  brakes  of  great  cane,  anil 
on  the  outer  margin  of  the  cane,  the  palmetto,  or  latania, 
fill  the  slope  between  tiie  cane  and  the  inundated  lands. 
These  vegetables  are  indubitable  evidence  of  a  strong, 
rich  soil. 

JVorthwest  section  of  the  state  of  Louisiana,  including 
the  parishes  of  JVatchitoches,  Ocatahoola,  Concord' 
Rapide  and  Avoyelles.— 'This  section  of  country  is  bo 
ded  north  by  latitude  33° ;  west  by  a  meridian  line  from 
33°  to  32° ;  southwest  by  the  Sabine  river ;  south  by  the 
parallel  of  31°  and  on  Opelousas. 
Face  of  the  country,  Rivers,  Lakes,  Soil,  Timber  growth, 
Vegetable  and  Mineral  productions. 

The  Sabine  drains  its  head  waters  about  lat-  32°  50' 
flowing  southeast  to  the  southwest  angle  of  the  parish  of  j 
Natchitoches ;  thence  to  Sabine  lake,  near  the  Gulf,  its  j 
course  is  southwestwardly.    Between  Natchitoches,  on 
Red  river,  and  the  Sabine,  the  surface  is  broken  into  hills; 
the  timber  chiefly  pine,  black  oak,  sweet  gum,  and  various 
species  of  hickory.    On  the  route  from  the  Sabine,  near 
Natchitoches,  pine  is  the  prevailing  growth.     Above  the 
Spanish  lake,  on  the  borders  of  lands  inundated  by  Red| 
river,  the  pine  growth  in  a  manner  ceases,  and  is  suc- 
ceeded by  oak  and  hickory ;  the  country  broken,  in  somel 


LOUISIANA. 


239 


1st  of 
haps, 
Baton 

»  vavi- 
panisli 
,  white 
vberrv, 
On  tlu'. 
ne,  ami 
latania, 
I  lands, 
strong, 

icludins 
ncord' 
is  bo 
ine  from 
h  by  the 


s:rowth, 


32°  50' 
>arish  of] 
[Gulf,  its 
)ches,  on  I 
ito  hills;  1 
Id  various  I 
line,  near  I 
ibovethe 
by  Red] 
is  sue- 
I,  in  some  I 


])lacp«  stony;  the  hills  not  high,  but  steep;  the  bottoms 
often  fertile,  but  of  moderate  extent.  The  lakes  of  Red 
river  are  fed  by  many  streams  of  pure  water,  among 
which  \ii  Bayou  Pierre,  which  Hows  from  the  adjacent 
hills.  None  of  these  streams  are  i25  mdes  in  length. 
The  most  abundant  growth  is  black  hickory.  Extensive 
Hats,  l-.owever,  occur,  of  post  oak,  always  growing  on  a 
poor,  wet  soil.  Between  the  Sabine  and  Red  rivers,  tJie 
ridge  dividing  the  waters  that  flow  into  either,  is  nearly 
equidistant.  West  of  the  settlements  of  Bayou  Pierre, 
eight  nnles,  pine  prevails,  interspersed  with  black  jack 
ridges :  surface  broken,  soil  poor  j  on  the  hills,  sandy  and 
rocky. 

Here  is  suflicient  bottom  land,  rich  and  arable,  t6  ad- 
mit of  extensive  settlements.  The  timber  is  1  uge  and 
valuable.  The  eastern  side  of  the  Sabine,  from  its  head 
to  the  Gulf,  is  low,  and  more  subject  to  inundation  than 
on  the  west  bank.  Upon  the  Sabine  the  growth  is  pine, 
black  oak,  red  oak,  white  oak,  black  hickory,  sweet  gum, 
black  gum,  ash,  beech  and  dogwood.  Cane  abounds  on 
the  margin  of  the  river,  but  is  rather  of  stinted  growth. 
Towards  Opelousas  pine  increases,  and  below  32°  to  the 
prairas  of  Mermentau  and  Calcasiu,  excepting  the  mar- 
gins of  streams,  it  is  one  continuous  pine  forest. 

Within  about  30  miles,  on  a  direct  line,  after  Red  river 
enters  the  state,  it  spreads  into  a  number  of  channels  and 
lakes,  forming  an  inundated  swamp  six  miles  wide  and 
fifty  long.  The  river  is  never  after  united  in  a  compact 
column,  till  it  mingles  with  the  Mississippi. 

Above  Natchitoches,  the  soil  and  surface,  east  of  Red 
river,  is  far  preferable  to  that  of  the  west.  The  creek 
bottoms  are  wider  and  richer  than  those  towards  the  Sa- 
bine.   The  hills  higher,  and  more  gradual  in  the  ascent. 


mm 


mm 


ho 


LOUISIANA. 


At  low  water,  the  more  prominent  i)arts  are  presented 
in  the  form  of  various  islands ;  at  high,  the  appearance 
of  a  spacious  lake  is  exhibited.  The  expanse  of  over- 
flowed waters  on  Red  river  is  evidently  of  recent  origin. 
In  Nachitoches,  Spanish^  Black,  Kastinean  and  Bodau 
lakes,  ruins  of  the  cypress  tree  remain.  The  wood  of 
this  tree  is  almost  imperishable  :  the  stumps  immerged 
in  these  lakes,  prove  it  had  its  growth  there  before  the 
lakes  were,  formed,  wiiere  the  water  in  the  dryest  seasons 
is  now  from  10  to  15  feet  deep.  Tlie  valley  through 
which  Red  river  flows,  must  have  Been  filled  up  by 
the  alluvion  deposited  above  the  bottom  of  the  creeks 
entering  that  river;  by  which  means  the  lakes  have 
been  formed  on  those  tributaries,  near  the  main  river. 

In  the  peninsula,  formed  f9y  Red  and  Washita,  rivers, 
several  small  streams  take  their  rise,  some  of  which 
flow  into  the  one,  and  some  into  the  other  of  those  rivers. 
Of  those  which  mingle  with  Red  river,  the  Bodcau, 
Dacheet,  Black  Lake,  the  Sabine,  and  Hietan  rivers  are 
tlie  principal ;  those  flowing  to  the  Waphita,  are  Der- 
bane,and  the  united  streams  of  Dogdomoni  and  Little 
river.  Upon  all  these  streams  the  soil  and  timber  growth 
are  nearly  similar. 

The  resemblance  of  the  surface  of  the  earth,  through- 
out the  state  of  Louisiana,  to  the  segment  of  a  circle, 
is  proved  by  the  extent  of  stagnant  waters,  on  each  of  the 
foregoing  rivers,  caused  by  the  rise  of  the  Mississippi ; 
at  low  water,  severally  flowing  with  considerable  veloci^ 
ty ;  at  high,  when  the  Mississippi  and  Red  rivers  are 
swollen  by  floods,  the  other  streams  are  stagnant  almost 
to  their  sources.  The  country,  though  hilly,  appears 
not  to  consist  of  a  gradual  rise  from  the  ocean,  but  to 
swell  Jrom  a  plain. 


LOUISIANA. 


g41 


There 'are  various  indications  of  iron  ore.  The  base 
of  the  hills  consist  of  sand  stone  and  slate.  Water  worn 
pebbles  compose  the  upper  strata  in  some  parts.  Salt 
springs  abound  on  all  the  tributaries,  between  Washita 
and  Red  rivers,  from  two  or  three  of  whicli  considerable 
quantities  of  salt  are  made.  At  Postleth wait's,  a  quantity 
adequate  to  any  demand,  which  the  country  might  re- 
quire, could  be  ma'Je.  The  inhabitants  are  now  sup- 
plied with  excellent  salt  at  the  praira,  at  from  one  to  two 
dollars  per  barrel.  Upon  the  Washita  and  Dogdomoni, 
are  excellent  springs. 

Tlic  best  lands,  bordering  on  the  south  side  of  Red 
river,  within  the  state,  have  been  disposed  of ;  on  the 
north,  the  most  va  uable  still  remain  unappropriated. — 
Of  the  latter  tract,  is  an  extensive  body  of  a  supeiior 
quality,  on  the  creeks,  which  flow  ?nto  Dacheet  river 
and  lake  Bistineau ;  also  upon  the  waters  of  the  Der- 
bane,  Bl  ck  lake.  Little  and  Sabine 'i vers,  west;  and 
upon  the  Tensaw,  Macon.  Boeuf,  and  some  smaller 
streams,  east  of  Washita. 

The  east  of  lake  Bistineau,  upon  the  creeks  which  en- 
ter that  lake,  and  upon  the  margin  of  the  lake  are  of  dif- 
ferent characters.  The  bottoms  are  occasionally  spa- 
cious, and  of  a  good  soil.  This^is  the  only  situation 
within  the  state,  where  the  bottom  lands,  properly  so 
called,  are  arable.  The  banks  of  the  Mississppi,  and  of 
most  of  the  streams  entering  it  from  the  west,  a  id  some 
on  the  east,  generally  incline  from  the  strer  ii,  exhibit- 
ing an  aspect  different  from  those  on  the  Ohio,  and  on 
the  Atlantic  rivers :  the  banks  of  the  latter  inclining 
towards  the  streams  by  which  they  are  intersected.  The 
aide  of  the  hills  east  of  lake  Bistineau,  consist  of  lands 
^vhich  may  be  considered  of  a  second  rate  soil ;  the 

W 


^z 


LOUISIANA. 


growth,  pine,  Mack  oak,  red  oak,  ash,  black  hickory  and 
dogwood.  !t  is  supposed  this  soil  would  be  congenial  to 
wheat  and  other  small  grains  :  as  also  to  fruit  trees  and 
grapevines.  It  abounds  with  fine  springs  of  water.  It 
remains  yet  an  entire  wilderness. 

Of  a  similar  character  to  the  lands  east  of  lake  Bisti- 
neau,  though  of  less  extent,  is  that  of  the  peninsula  be- 
tween the  Red  and  Washita  rivers. 

This  peninsula,  below  33°  north  latitude,  is  intersect- 
ed by  a  chain  of  high  hills,  which  puts  out  in  several 
projections  ;  of  which,  one  of  the  most  prominent,  enters 
the  state  of  Louisiana,  and  after  proceeding  about  15 
miles,  within  the  state,  ramifies  into  three  branches;  the 
western,  ratlier  west  of  south,  separates  the  waters  that 
ilow  into  Dacheet  river  and  lake  Bistineau,  from  those 
which  enter  Black  lake  river  ;  and  finally  merges  in  the 
level  lands  of  Red  river.  The  middle  branch  be.-^rs 
south,  dividing  the  head  branches  of  streams  that  flow  to 
Black  lake  river  westward,  and  into  Sabine  river  east- 
ward ;  and  disappears  in  the  low  lands,  near  the  junc- 
tion of  these  tvvo  streams.  The  eastern  ridge,  diverging 
southeast  ei^lit  or  ten  miles,  is  parted  into  two :  the  south- 
western of  these  separates  the  waters  of  the  Washita 
from  those  of  Red  ri^cr ;  bearing  southwest  20  miles ; 
then  inclines  to  the  south,  continuing,  and  conforming 
nearly  to  the  general  course  of  the  Red  river,  tei  minutes 
upon  the  -yft  shore  of  tliat  river,  at  the  Ecore  Cliene, 
about  la  miles  southeast  of  the  town  of  Ale\;;ti(li  ia.  The 
northeastern  brand.,  bearing  southeri^i,  between  the 
watersof  Dfibane  and  tliose  of  n')p;(n,>n\oni  and  Little 
rivers,  reaches  witliin  two  miles  of  t^lu  Washita,  at  32"  18' 
nortlj  latitude  ;  tbvn  follows  +l»at  river,  preserving  a 
distance  of  two  or  three  miles  from  its  margin,  and  finally 


ial  to 
i  and 

r.    It 

Bisti- 
la  be- 

M'sect- 
icveral 
enters 
3Ut   15 
!S ;  the 
rs  that 
\  those 
s  in  the 
h  ber>TS 
flow  to 
er  cast- 
e  junc- 
verging 
e  south- 
Vashita 
miles ; 
Iforming 
minutes 
C'liene, 
The 
»en  the 
Little 
32°  18' 
Irving  a 
k  finally 


LOtJISIANA. 


ms 


Sinks  into  the  level  alluvion,  at  the  court  house  of  Octa- 
hoola,  at  31°  42' north  latitude. 

The  river  Washita  has  a  clear,  beautiful,  gentle  cur- 
rent, much  resembling,  but  smaller  than  the  Ohio.  The 
head  sources  of  the  Washita  make  their  appearance  in 
about  34°  north  latitude  and  18°  30'  west  longitude. — 
The  courses  of  the  upper  streams  of  the  Washita,  are 
southeast  60  or  70  miles  ;  thence  east  100  miles,  where 
three  branches  unite ;  and  continuing  east  20  miles.  Hot 
Spring  creek  falls  in  from  the  northeast.  Mr.  Dunbar 
and  Dr.  Hunter,  having  minutely  explored  this  part  of 
the  Washita  country,  ascertained  the  geological  struc- 
ture near  the  Hot  Springs,  to  be  composed  of  secondary 
materials,  scliistous  sand  stone.  The  Masserne  moun- 
tains, which  give  rise  to  the  Washita,  are  found  to  not 
be  of  great  elevation  ;  but  having  been  imperfectly  ex- 
plored, their  composition  is  not  well  ascertained. 

The  country  drained  by  the  head  waters  of  the  ^^^1sh- 
ita,  is  sterile  praira,  or  broken,  rocky,  mountainous  land. 
The  country  adjacent  to  the  Hot  Springs,  h  are  on 
the  south  side  of  the  mountain,  is  barren.  The  counfty 
around  these  springs,  being  elevated  and  possessing  a 
pure  air,  is  considered  very  healthy.  Persons  afflicted 
with  pulmonary  complaints,  obtain  great  relief  by  resort- 
ing to  these  springs.  Whether  the  change  of  air,  or  the 
medicinal  quality  of  the  water,  most  contributes  to  re- 
store health,  is  not  certain. 

Below  the  mouth  of  Hot  Spring,  Washita  flows  south, 
25  miles,  and  receives  the  tribute  of  Fourcheau  Cado, 
which  flows  from  the  west ;  and  about  the  same  distance 
further  south,  the  Little  Missouri.  These  two  rivers 
issue  from  the  spurs  of  the  Masserne,  and  flowing  nearly 
easti  meander  through  considerable  tracts  of  valuable 


mmm 


^4 


LOUISIANA. 


lands.  Some  praira  of  moderate  extent,  and  of  a  poor, 
thin  soil,  occur. 

The  Saline  branch  of  the  Washita  rises  12  miles 
southeast  of  the  Hot  Springs ;  and  flowing  150  miles, 
joins  the  Washita  a  little  north  o( Louisiana.  Land^  on 
the  Saline,  have  a  thin,  poor  soil. 

The  liartlttlemy  finds  its  source  30  miles  southeast 
of  the  head  waters  of  the  Saline  ;  pursuing  a  course 
nearly  parallel  to  which  it  joins  the  Washita  at  32°  40' 
nortli  latitutle.  The  Barthelemy  winds  its  course 
tlirough  an  excellent  tract  of  land,  particularly  near 
its  mouth.  Before  reaching  the  Washita,  the  Barthele- 
my is  joined  by  an  ancient  outlet,  the  Bayou  Siard,  of 
the  former  stream.  This  outlet,  after  flowing  in  its 
course,  about  25  miles,  joins  the  Washita,  three  miles 
above  Fort  Miro. 

Grant  made  by  the  Spanish  Government  to  Baron 
Bastrop. — This  tiact  lies  northeast  from  Bayou  Siard, 
ard  derives  importance  from  its  great  extent,  consisting 
of  twelve  leagues  square.  The  soil  is  of  various  qualities. 
Besides  Washita  and  Bayou  Siard,  which  forms  the 
western  boundaiy,  it  is  ti'aversed  by  Barthelemy,  Bon 
Idee,  and  Macon  rivers.  There  are  three  prairas  from 
three  t  j  four  miles  long,  and  two  broad  :  Praira  de 
Bute,  ou  the  right  bank  of  Barthelemy  ;  Jefierson  and 
Mer  Rouge,  between  the  Bcjeuf  and  Barthelemy  river. 
Notwithstanding  Bastrop's  grar»i,  taken  in  the  aggregate^ 
cannot  be  esteemed  a  fertile  body  of  land,  yet  the  prairas, 
and  tiie  margins  of  the  streams,  are  generally  covered 
with  an  excellent  soil.  Considerable  settlements  have 
been  made.  The  seat  of  justice  for  the  parish  of  Wash- 
ita is  established  in  Praira  Mer  Rouge.  Many  settle- 
ments may  be  found  oh  tlie  banks  of  the  Barthelemy,  as 


tOUISlAKA. 


^J 


also  in  Praira  Jefferson.  Althougli  farms  are  scattered 
over  most  parts  of  the  gi'ant,  large  portions  of  good  land 
remain  vacant.  Pine  forests  generally,  on  the  surface 
flat,  sometimes  marshy,  intervene  between  the  streams. 

Cotton  and  tobacco,  mainly  the  former,  with  which 
the  soil  and  climate  are  congenial,  are  the  staple  pro- 
ductions :  maize,  the  small  grains,  and  most  garden 
vegetables  flourish.  The  fig  and  peach  tree,  whicli  here 
produce  fine  flavored  fruit,  have  been  successfully  cul- 
tivated. Vine  fruits,  such  as  meloiis,  pumpkins,  cucum- 
bers and  squashes,  are  found  to  be  productive  in  this 
soil. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  most  valuable  forest  trees 
growing,  not  only  on  Bastrop's  Grant,  but  in  the  adjacent 
region,  viz :  hackberry,  wild  cherry,  cypress,  persim- 
mon, beech,  ash,  honey  locust,  bitternut  hickory,  thick 
shell  bark  hickory,  black  walnut,  sassafras,  large  laurel 
tupiloo,  black  gum,  pitch  pine,  cotton  wood,  sycamore, 
white  oak,  black  oak,  linden,  locust,  mucilaginous  elm, 
and  red  elm. 

Tlie  Grant  to  the  Marquis  Maison  -Row^^,  commences 
about  five  miles  below  Fort  Miro,  in  latitude  about  32® 
30',  extending  down  the  Washita,  40  miles  on  both  sides 
of  tL;j  stream,  nearly  conforming  to  the  course  as  it  runs. 
Most  of  the  lands  in  this  grant  remain  unoccupied. 

The  soil,  in  no  portion  of  Louisiana,  exceeds  in  quality 
this  part  of  the  banks  of  the  Washita.  The  cotton  plant 
grows  here  luxuriantly,  which  is  the  prevailing  staple 
production.  Both  the  surface  and  the  soil  are  greatly 
diversified.  The  lands  east  of  the  Washita,  bear  a  strong 
resemblance  to  the  alluvial  soils  in  Louisiana ;  an  arable 
border  of  nearly  one  half  mile  wide,  generally  skirting 
the  stream;  to  this  succeeds  the  overflowed  surfaces 


246 


LOUISIANA. 


which  spreads  out  towards  the  Bon  Idee  river.  Tl>c 
margin  of  the  west  side  of  Washita,  is  also  alluvial,  but 
more  limited.  A  range  of  hills,  connected  with  one  be- 
fore mentioned,  parting  the  waters  of  Red  from  Washita 
river,  winds  along  the  west  side  of  the  latter  stream. 
This  ridge  reaches  Maison  Rouge's  grant,  nearly  ten 
miles  below  its  highest  cx^roraity,  and  conforming  to  the 
general  course  of  tlie  river,  extends  by  the  Washita 
through  the  grant.  The  front  of  the  ridge,  facing  the 
river,  is  bold  and  abrupt,  gently  descending  westward. 

The  timber  differs  not  essentially,  from  that  on  the 
grant  of  Bastrop :  on  boti),  it  is  good  and  abundant. 
Few  situations  can  furnish  more  pleasant  and  conveni- 
ent establishments,  than  could  be  formed  in  many  places 
on  the  Washita.  The  alluvial  banks,  and  the  elevated 
spots  in  the  rear,  afford  a  great  diversity  for  selection. 
The  Washita  is  navigable  for  large  boats  at  all  times  of 
the  year,  except  the  season  be  very  dry. 

Sugar  excepted,  all  the  vegetable  productions  which 
can  be  raised  in  any  part  of  Louisiana,  will  flourish  on 
the  Washita. 

All  our  remarks  on  the  lands  of  the  Washita,  vill 
equally  apply  to  the  regions  watered  by  the  Bceuf,  Ma- 
con and  Tensaw. 

Numerous  saw  mills  are  in  operation,  on  Little  river, 
which  prepare  large  quantities  of  lumber  for  New-Or- 
leans market. 

Topography. — The  nortliwest  section  of  the  state  of 
Louisiana  contains  the  following  parishes,  viz.  JSTatchi- 
toche.Sy  Rapides,  Ocatahoola,  Concordia  and  Jlvoijelhs. 

Natchitoches  occupies  the  northwest  angle  of  the  state, 
embracing  land  watered  by  Red,  Sabine  and  Calcasiu 
rivci's ;  with  Texas  on  the  west,  Sabine  southwest,  and 


LOUISIANA. 


^47 


Opelousas  soutli.  The  town  is  situated  on  the  west  bank 
of  Red  river,  31°  46'  north  latitude,  407  miles  from  New- 
Orleans  by  water.  Here  was  established  a  military 
post  in  1717.  The  buildings  first  erected,  were  about  a 
mile  from  the  present  village.  The  remains  of  the  old 
fort  and  garden  are  still  visible.  This  place  derives  an 
importance  from  its  position ;  it  being  a  most  central 
and  convenient  point  for  trade  with  the  province  of 
Texas.  Fort  Claiborne,  which  is  garrisoned  with  sol- 
diers, is  built  on  one  of  t!^e  pine  hills,  which  approaches 
within  200  yards  of  the  river.  The  waters  of  Red  river 
are  brackish ;  but  copious  springs  of  good  water  are 
found  near  Natchitoclies.  This  is  the  most  considerable 
town  in  Louisiana,  west  of  the  Mississippi :  the  present 
number  of  inhabitants,  exclusive  of  the  garrison,  exceed- 
ing 600. 

Ttle  parish  of  Rapides  lies  principally  in  the  valley  of 
Red  river,  and  extends  to  the  river  Washita.  In  soil 
and  productions,  it  is  much  like  the  parish  of  Natchito- 
ches. 

Alexandria  stands  on  the  west  bank  of  Red  river,  half 
a  mile  below  the  rapids ;  at  low  water,  the  head  of  barge 
navigation.  31°  19' north  latitude.  344  miles  by  water 
from  New-Orleans.  It  is  a  flourishing  village.  The  set- 
tlements around  the  town  are  wealthy,  and  considerably 
extensive.  By  some  it  has  been  supposed,  that  Rapide 
contained  more  valuable  land,  for  the  extent,  than  any 
parish  in  the  state. 

The  parishes  of  Octahoola  and  Washita  lie  upon  the 
river  Washita ;  neither  of  which  contains  any  consider- 
able town. 

Concordia  stretches  out  extensively  on  the  west  hank 
of  the  Mississippi,  oce^ipying  an  inclined  plane :  all  li» 


S48 


LOUISIANA. 


soil  is  alluvial,  and  of  an  excellent  quality ;  but  much  ot 
it  inundated :  cotton,  which  grows  luxuriantly,  the  only 
staple.  The  town  of  Concordia,  opposite  Natchez,  is  the 
seat  ctf  justice,  but  of  little  commercial  importance. 

Avoyelles  lies  in  an  irregular  circuitous  bend  of  Red 
river,  at  the  mouth.  The  settlements  are  mostly  in  the 
praira,  which  is  high,  and  by  flood  waters  is  occasionally 
surrounded.  All  the  arable  lands  are  excellent,  a  large 
portion  of  which  remain  public  property.  Cotton  and 
maize  are  the  chief  objects  of  culture.  There  is  no  town 
in  the  parish.  The  most  convenient  seasons  of  approacii- 
ing  this  part  of  the  countiy  are  the  months  of  September, 
October  and  November. 


TEXAS. 


Our  speculations  on  the  western  country  were  in- 
tendec^  to  be  confined  to  the  regions  west  of  the  Allega- 
nies,  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  United  States.  But 
the  proximity,  and  great  extent  of  the  province  of  Texas, 
on  the  western  borders  of  the  American  republic ;  tlic 
peculiar  circumstances  attending  the  discovery  and  set* 
tlement  of  that  province ;  the  contested  claims  for  juris* 
diction,  between  the  French  and  Spaniards ;  ^nd  the  in^ 
definite  limits  of  Louisiana,  at  the  time  of  its  cession  to 
the  United  States,  seem  to  render  a  general  view  of  that 
province  not  incompatible  with  the  scope  of  our  design* 

Texas  is  bounded  west  and  southwest  by  the  Rio 
Grand  del  Norte ;  southeast  by  the  Gulf  of  Mexico ;  east 
by  the  state  of  Louisiana ;  northeast  and  nortli  (accord- 
ing to  the  late  Spanish  treaty)  by  Red  river  to  100'  w«»jt 
longitude  from  London ;  thence  due  north  to  the  Arkan- 
&aw ;  thence  up  the  Arkansaw  to  latitude  42° ;  tli«ace 
due  west  to  a  point  intersected  by  a  right  lioe  drawn 
from  the  source  of  the  Rio  Grand  del  Norte— presenting 
the  form  of  an  irregular  triangle,  whose  acute  angle  is 
formed  by  a  line  from  the  sources  of  the  Rio  Grand  del 
Norte,  protracted,  in  the  course  of  that  streaso,  to  the  pa- 
rallel of  42°  north  latitude,  running  west.  The  greatest 
length  of  this  province  exceeds  800  miles,  and  its  great- 


g50 


TEXAS. 


\ 


est  breadth  500.  It  embraces  a  surface  of  400,000  square 
miles ;  an  extent  more  spacious  than  the  aggregate  con- 
tents of  the  states  of  New-York,  New-Jersey,  Pennsylva- 
nia, Maryland,  Virginia,  Kentucky  and  Ohio 

After  the  French  had  taken  possession  of  the  region 
bordering  on  the  Mississippi,  by  right  of  discovery,  La 
Salle,  a  Frenchman  from  Canada,  in  1683,  landed  at  the 
mouth  of  Guadaloupe,  a  small  river  which  flows  from  the 
interior  of  Texas  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  explored 
the  country  on  that  stream.     Not  till  31  years  after,  in 
1714,  did  the  Spaniards  cross  the  del  Norte,  from  the 
west  into  Texas.    They  made  no  settlement  there  until 
1717,  when  they  occupied  the  Adayes.    About  the  same 
time,  the  French  made  an  establishment  at  Natchitoches, 
only  nine  miles  distant.    These  two  posts  were  held  by 
the  respective  governments — the  French  always  claiming 
all  the  country  east  of  the  Rio  del  Norte,  as  a  part  of 
Louisiana,  by  right  of  the  first  discovery,  until  the  rati- 
fication of  the  treaty  of  1762,  when  France  ceded  Loui- 
siana to  Spain. 

The  soil  of  Texas  is  generally,  in  fertility,  much  infe- 
rior to  that  which  is  spread  over  the  region  watered  by 
the  streams  of  the  Mississippi  and  Red  river.  A  large 
portion  of  the  former  consists-  of  open  plains  devoid  of 
woods;  opening  a  passage  for  the  winds  from  the  north ; 
whereby  the  same  parallels  of  latitude  are  rendered 
cooler  than  further  to  the  east.  The  climate  is,  however, 
generally  temperate,  and  favorable  to  the  health  of  the 
human  constitution. 

Considered  in  the  whole,  as  one  region,  it  cannot  pro- 
perly be  said  of  Texas,  that  the  soil  is  fertile.  It  con- 
tains, notwithstanding,  many  extensive  tracts  of  excel- 
lent land. 


m^ 


/ 


TEXAS. 


25i 


The  borders  of  Red  river,  and  the  margins  of  several 
other  considerable  streams,  will  admit  of  good  settle- 
ments through  the  whole  extent  of  their  respective 
courses.  Much  of  the  interior,  though  denuded  of  wood, 
far  from  market,  will  furnish  valuable  ranges  for  the 
rearing  of  cattle. 

Between  Red  river  and  tlie  Rio  Graiid  del  Norte,  in- 
cluding those  rivers,  there  is  a  remarkable  uniformity  in 
the  course  of  the  streams :  their  direction  towards  the 
ocean  is  southeast.  After  this  manner  flows  the  Nueces, 
Guadaloupe,  Colorado,  Brassos  a  Dios,  Sabine  and  Cal- 
casiu.  Some  of  the  best  harbors  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico, 
lie  between  the  Sabine  and  the  Rio  Grand  del  Norte. 

If,  by  the  laws  of  nations,  as  applicable  to  national 
rights  acquired  by  discovery  or  preoccupancy,  the  limits 
of  the  country  called  Louisiana,  under  all  circumstances, 
ought  to  be  so  extended  as  to  embrace  the  province  of 
Texas,  at  the  time  of  its  cession  by  the  French  to  the 
Spaniards,  in  the  treaty  of  1762 ;  it  clearly  follows,  that 
the  United  States  are  now  entitled  to  that  province,  by 
the  treaty  of  1803.     But,  even  admitting  the  claim  of 
the  United  States  to  that  country  could  not  be  urged,  on 
the  principles  of  national  law,  the  dictates  of  sound  poli- 
cy would  direct  Spain  to  consent  to  the  establishment 
of  the  Rio  Grand  diil  Norte,  for  a  permanent  boundary 
between  the  territories  of  the  two  governments.     This 
river  is  but  of  small  national  imp.ortance.     It  Is  a  long 
stream,  with  but  few  tributaries,  sparingly  supplied  with 
water  for  its  length,  and  bordered,  most  of  its  course,  by 
lands  naturally  barren — presenting  a  continuous  dreary, 
wide  chasm,  on  either  side,  which  aftbrds  no  indue*  uicnts 
to  occupancy  or  cultivation.     Its  banks,  therefore,  if  at 
all  Inhabited,  must  be  occupied  by  a  very  thm  popula- 


252 


TEXAS. 


tion.  Thus  here  has  nature  seemed  to  have  prescribed 
a  space, almost  as  distinguishable  for  a  national  boundary, 
as  an  extended  range  of  impassable  mountains,  or  abroad 
expanse  of  fathomless  waters.  Yet  such  has  been  the 
moderation  and  pacific  polity  of  the  American  republic, 
that  in  their  late  projet  for  a  treaty  with  Spain,  they 
waived  their  claim  to  Texas :  but  the  treaty  not  being 
ratified  on  the  part  of  Spain,  the  discussion  is  still  open, 
and  t!ic  waiver  may  be  considered  as  resumed. 


MICHIGAN  TERRITORY. 


This  temtoiy  in  length  is  510  miles,  in  breadth  180; 
i\nd  is  situated  between  41°  31'  and  46">  59'  north  lati- 
tude, and  between  5°  and  9°  west  longitude.  It  is  bound- 
ed south  by  the  states  of  Indiana  and  Ohio ;  east  by  lakes 
El  ie,  St.  Clair  and  Huron ;  nortli  by  lake  Superior ;  and 
west  by  lake  Michipian ;  and  contains  about  30,000  squar« 
miles. 

The  southern  boundary  begins  at  tlie  eastern  short, 
abo  't  15  miles  fiom  the  southern  bend  of  lake  Miclugan ; 
thence  due  east  tu  the  line  between  Indiana  and  Oliio ; 
*hei<ce,  on  that  line,  south,  to  about  41"  31',;  thence  due 
east  over  the  Maumce,  threi'  miles  above  Perrysb'"*',?!  or 
Fort  Meigs,  on  to  lake  Erie,  seven  or  eight  miles  from 
ilic  mouth  of  Portage  river,  and  about  IG  miles  from  San- 
dusky Bay. 

The  eastern  boundary  fr6m  the  southern  line,  traverses 
the  head  of  lake  Erie,  passes  by  an  undefined  line  through 
the  rivers  Detroit  and  St.  Clair  into  lake  Huron,  over 
the  middle  waters  of  that  lake,  to  the  mouth  of  the  strait 
of  St.  Marys,  into  lake  Superior,  and  over  the  middle 
watets  of  that  lake,  till  it  cuts  a  line  dr?  vn  perpendicu- 
larly from  the  southern  bend  over  the  middle  waters  of 
lake  Michigan  across  into  lake  Superior;  which  per- 
pendicular line  is  the  western  boundary  of  the  Michigan 
territory. 


^^54 


MICHIGAN    TERRITORY. 


The  following  columns  exhibit  the  counties  and  chiel 
towns  in  the  territory : 

Counties.         Towns.  Counties.         Towns. 

Wayne,    -    Detroit.  Munroe,    -    Munroe. 

Macomb,  -    Mount  Clement.    Oakland,   -    Pontiac. 
Mackinaw,    Mackinaw. 

According  to  the  census  of  1810  the  whole  population 
was  4,762 ;  at  present  it  is  supposed  to  be  12,000. 

Detroit  is  the  metropolis.  It  stands  on  Detroit  it»er, 
in  latitude  42''  25'  and  longitude  west  5°  23'.  The  set- 
tlement  of  this  town  was  commenced  in  1680.  It  was 
occupied  merely  as  a  military  post,  and  has  been  a  gi  at 
resort  for  Indian  traders,  before  and  since  it  was  placed 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  United  States.  The  town 
occupies  an  elevated,  romantic  situation,  on  the  bank  of 
the  river,  containing  about  300  buildings  of  all  descrip- 
tions. More  than  half  of  the  inhabitants  are  French- 
The  public  buildings  are  a  jail,  council  house,  and  a  Uni- 
ted States'  store :  the  latter  a  neat  brick  building,  80  feet 
by  30,  three  stories  high.  In  1813  it  was  filled  with  the 
trophies  of  war  from  the  Thames.  The  town  is  in  a  flour- 
ishing condition,  carries  on  a  brisk  trade,  and  is  much 
resorted  to  by  Indians. 

Face  of  the  couvtry,  soil,  S^'c. — This  country  is  desti- 
tute of  mountains.  The  interior  may  be  considered  ta- 
ble lanu,  sloping  eastwardly  and  northwardly,  diversified 
with  many  small  lakes,  and  tlivers  places  are  interspersed 
with  extensive  marslies,  which  feed  the  head  branches  of 
rivers. 

Large  tracts  of  praira  art  spreiid  over  many  parts  of 
this  territory ;  of  which  somi*.  aie  covered  with  an  excel- 
lent soil,  others  are  sandy,  wet  and  sterile  *.  the  timbered 
tractb  are,  however,  spacious ;  the  growth,  oak,  sugar  roi(< 


and  chiet 

^owns. 

funroe. 

ontiac. 

topulation 
000. 

roit  i»*t:r, 
The  set- 
».  It  was 
in  a  gi  at 
as  placed 
Tlie  town 
le  bank  of 
II  descrip- 
e  French- 
nd  a  Uni- 
ig,  80  feet 
1  with  the 
in  a  flour- 
is  much 

Y  is  desti- 
dered  ta- 
iversified 
ersperscd 
anciies  of 

r  parts  of 
an  excel- 
timbered 
lugar  mK- 


MICHMJAN  TERKITORY. 


259 


pie,  beecli,  ash,  poplar,  white  and  yellow  pine,  buckeye, 
lynn,  hickory,  cedar,  plumb,  crab  apple,  cherry,  black  and 
honey  locust.  The  bottoms  and  high  prairas  are  gen- 
erally of  a  superior  quality. 

Much  of  the  Michigan  lake  is  bordered  by  high  sweHs, 
composed  of  sand,  thrown  up  by  tlie  winds  and  waves. 
The  wood  lands,  when  cleared  ofll'  and  cultivated,  arc 
productive  of  most  kinds  of  grain,  afid  are  covered  with 
a  sir'>ng  and  durable  soil. 

Lakes  and  Bays, — The  territory  of  Michigan  embraces 
about  one  tenth  of  lake  Eric ;  a  third  of  lake  Huron ;  a 
small  pari  of  hike  Superior ;  and  half  of  lake  Michigan. 
North  north  >^'st  of  Detroit,  within  the  interior,  is  a  cluster 
of  beautiful  lakes,  of  various  dimensions,  from  an  area  of 
100  to  1000  acres  each.  They  form  reservoirs  for  the 
head  branches  of  various  streams,  wnich  flow  from  neaf 
the  territory  into  the  great  lak«8,  which  nearly  surround 
it. 

Of  the  bays,  the  principal  which  indent  the  coasts,  are 
the  Maumeo,  Sagana  and  Thunder  bay.  The  former  is 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Maumee,  expanding  from  a  width, 
near  its  mouth,  of  six  miles,  to  double  that  width,  and 
then  contracting  gradually  for  twelve  or  fifteen  miles  to 
the  common  space  of  the  river. 

Sagana  bay  projects  from  lake  Huron  on  the  northeast 
shere  of  the  territory,  nearly  south,  a  little  inclining  to 
the  west ;  extern*!  ag  in  length,  forty  miles,  with  a  breadth 
of  from  eight  to  twelve  miles ;  and  extends,  with  a  more 
narrow  space,  many  mile<!  further  back. 

lyiunder  bay  is  further  up,  on  the  »>ame  coast,  and  was 
said  to  be  remarkable,  when  Carver  traverb>d  that  region, 
for  almost  continual  thunder ;  an  occurence  which  mod- 
ern travellers  have  lot  noticed. 


25Q 


MICHIGAN   TERRITORY. 


The  rivers  of  Michigan  are  numerous ;  manj  of  which 
are  navigable  almost  to  their  head  branches.  The  first 
fiver  of  consequence,  as  you  proceed  northwardly  on  the 
eastern  coast,  is  the  Raisin,  memorable  for  the  defeat  of 
General  Winchester's  detachment,  in  the  late  war.  The 
«ommon  width  near  its  mouth,  is  about  50  yards.  It  is 
navigable  nearly  seven  miles,  to  Munroe,  a  new  town, 
near  where  Winchester  surrendered.  There  a  short  ra- 
pid breaks  the  current;  above  which  it  is  Uoatable  SO. of 
40  miles.  It  tinds  its  source  among  the  marshes,  60  miles 
west  of  its  mouth.  These  marshes  spread  out  about  20 
miles  from  the  southern  boundary  line.  This  river  inter- 
locks with  the  St.  Josephs,  and  receives  the  tribute  of  the 
Macon,  15  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Raisin.  To  the 
mouth  of  the  Macon,  from  within  two  miles  of  the  lake, 
chi  tlie  Raisin,  settlements  have  been  made,  mostly  by 
Frenchmen  ;  wiio  raise  an  abundance  of  wheat,  corn,  po- 
tatoes, and  fruits  of  various  kinds.  The  soil  on  the  bot- 
toms is  ricli  and  durable;  but  much  of  the  upland  is 
light  and  sandy.  Several  grist  and  sawmills  hare  been 
erected  on  the  river.  The  inhabitants,  of  whom  some 
have  been  residents  for  30  years,  hare  generally  enjoyed 
fnio.  health.  From  the  Raisin  to  the  mouth  of  the  Mau- 
mce  is  18  mile*.  Within  tiii*  space  several  small  streams 
arc  found  ;  on  some  of  which  are  gowl  mill  seats. 

The  Huron  of  lake  Erie,  or  lower  Huron,  flows  into 
lake  Erie  a  short  distance  from  the  mouth  of  Detroit 
river,  and  draws  its  heatl  waters  near  the  small  lakes  in 
the  interior.  It  is  deoj)  and  gentle,  from  20  to  30  yards 
wide  for  niany-inilcs  up,  and  lioatable  for  50  or  60  miles. 

The  river  Rougo  flows  into  Detroit  river  five  miles  be- 
low Detroit,  and  draws  its  head  streams  from  the  small 
prairas  f20  or  30  luilcs  "lorih-northwest  of  that  place.    It 


MICHIGAN   TERRITORY. 


257 


which 
»e  fiiRt 
on  the 
feat  of 
.    The 
It  is 
towi», 
lort  ia- 
e  30.  OH 
iO  miles 
30ut  20 
r  iiitei- 
e  of  the 
To  the 
lie  lake, 
3stly  by 
ovn,  po- 
tha  bot- 
iland  is 
been 
some 
njoyed 
e  Mau- 
treams 


Ice* 


is  navigable  for  vessels  of  large  burthen,  many  miles ; 
on  which  is  a  dock  yard  five  miles  from  its  mouth.  The 
margins  of  this  river  are  spread  out  into  spacious  rich  bot- 
toms ;  on  which  many  large  sycamore  and  black  walnut 
trees  are  found.  The  Indian  title  to  most  of  these  lands 
has  been  extinguished. 

The  river  Huron  of  St.  Clair,  or  upper  Huron,  dis- 
charges into  lake  St.  Clair,  about  20  miles  above  Detroit, 
and  takes  its  rise  from  among  the  small  inteiior  lakes. 
This  is  a  beautiful  stream,  flowing  down  20  or  SO  miles 
from  Pontiac  to  the  lake,  with  a  rapid,  clear  and  almost 
unbroken  current.  The  banks  occupy  some  of  the  best 
land  in  the  territory.  Twenty  years  have  elapsed  since 
the  French  here  made  a  considerable  settlement.  Nu- 
merous Canadian  emigrants,  from  the  river  Thames,  are 
establishing  new  homes  in  this  part  of  the  country.  The 
bottoms  of  the  Huron  are  spacious  and  fertile ;  the  growth 
ST camore,  locust,  hickory,  elm,  poplar  and  maple:  the 
upland  is  covered  with  oak,  ash,  hickory,  and  some  pine. 
A  number  of  mills  have  been  erected  for  the  accomoda- 
tion of  the  settlers. 

Beside  the  rivers  named,  are  a  great  number  more  of 
intervening  smaller  streams,  that  water  and  variegate 
those  parts  of  the  country,  which,  since  1818,  have  been 
exposed  for  sale  by  the  general  government.  Most  of 
these  streams  aftbrd  facilities  for  the  transportation  of 
produce  from  the  interior  ;  and  all  of  them  are  means  of 
fertility  and  agricultural  convenience. 

Of  those  which  intersect  the  country  still  retained  and 
partially  occupied  by  the  Indians,  the  river  Sagana  is  the 
most  important.  It  draws  its  sources  from  numerous 
tributary  branches,  and  after  flowing  from  the  north  of 
the  small  lakes,  and  watering  a  pleasant  country  of  great 
fertility,  discharges  its  waters  into  Sagana  Bay. 

x2 


mm^mmmmmmm 


358 


MICHIGAN  TERRITORY. 


On  the  western  shore  of  the  territory,  in  proceeding 
southwardly,  divers  rivers  present  themselves,  succes- 
sively, in  order,  as  hereafter  named,  viz.  Pine,  Sun-flint, 
Carpe,  Plate,  Small  Drake,  Raspberry,  Ministick,  Aux 
Sable  or  Sandy,  St.  Nicholas,  Rocky,  White,  Mustiga, 
Grand,  Grape  or  Raisin,  and  Calamaza  rivers. 

The  St.  Joseph  is  a  large,  beautiful  river,  drawing  its 
head  sources  from  near  some  of  the  tributary  streams  of 
the  Maumec,  affording  in  easy  communication  between 
Detroit,  Fort  Wayne  and  lake  Michigan,  and  tliereby 
promoting  the  objects  of  trade  with  tlie  Indians.  Tliis 
stream  has  a  rapid  current,  interspersed  with  islands, 
aftbrding  navigable  waters  to  the  extent  of  150  miles, 
traversing  the  territory  about  40  miles ;  it  flows  into 
the  southeast  end  of  lake  Michigan,  through  a  mouth  200 
yards  wide.  Here  the  Pottawattiinies  inhabit  the  shore, 
where  they  catch  prodigious  quantities  of  fish. 

Grand  river  is  the  largest  stream  which  pays  tribute 
to  lake  Michigan ;  it  draws  its  head  waters  from  the  in- 
terior lakes,  interlocking  its  branches  with  those  of  the 
Raisin,  Black  river  and  Sagana.  It  is  described  as  tra- 
versing a  country  interspersed  alternately  with  woods 
and  open  prairas,  abounding  with  various  species  of  wild 
game.  It  is  navigable  with  small  craft  to  its  source,  an 
extent  of  nearly  140  miles.  It  flows  into  lake  Michigan, 
about  80  miles  north  of  the  southern  extremity.  In  high 
water,  boats  pass  from  this  river  to  the  Huron,  and  thence 
into  lake  Brie.  It  is  said  that  by  a  canal,  at  a  small  ex- 
pense, a  communication  might  be  opened  from  this  river 
to  the  Sagana,  that  flows  to  lake  Huron. 

Blmk  river  takes  its  rise  near  the  Maumee,  from  small 
lakes,  interlocks  with  the  two  St.  Josephs,  Raisin  and 
Grand  rivers,  and  enters  the  lake  14  mifes  north  of  the 


MICHIGAN  TEURITORT. 


S59 


mouth  of  St.  Joseph,  with  which  it  runs  nearly  parallel 
for  70  miles.  The  soil  on  the  banks  of  this  stieam,  which 
is  convenient  for  navigation,  is  represented  to  be  of  an 
excellent  quality.  Its  head  branches  are  occupied  by 
several  Indian  villages. 

The  Detroit,  St,  Clair  and  St.  ManfSy  which  might  be 
classed  among  straits,  though  not  exclusively  appertain- 
ing to  the  territory,  as  they  constitute  some  of  the  most 
important  features  of  the  country,  are  entitled  to  a  de- 
scription. 

The  Detroit  is  28  miies  long,  and  connects  lake  St. 
Clair  with  lake  Erie.  It  is  1100  yards  wide  at  Detroit, 
enlarging  as  it  descends,  and  is  navigable  for  vessels  of 
any  burden. 

The  St.  Clair,  50  miles  in  extent,  connects  lakes  Hu- 
ron and  St.  Clair.  Its  current  and  depth  are  nearly  the 
same  as  the  Detroit.  A  sand  bar  at  its  mouth,  and  a  rapid 
at  its  head,  form  considerable  impediments  to  the  navi- 
gation. Vessels  heavy  laden  must  be  lighted  before  they 
pass  the  bar.  A  fair  wind  enables  a  vessel  to  ascend  the 
rapids. 

The  Straits  of  Sf.  Mary,  exceeding  the  length  of  80 
miles,  form  a  communication  between  lakes  Huron  and 
Superior.  This  stream  embraces  many  large  islands,  of 
undetermined  jurisdiction.  The  Falls,  or  the  Saut  of  St. 
Mary,  are  near  the  head  of  the  Strait,«ttnd  in  the  distan»:e 
of  90  yards  have  a  perpendicular  descent  of  about  22  feet. 
Boats  are  towed  up  these  rapids  without  great  labor,  and 
descend  without  peril.  The  latitude  of  these  falls  is  46** 
89'. 

Island:.    TI.c  island  of  Mackinaw  is  situated  north  of 
the  penir/  .ala  of  Michigan,  in  the  straits  of  Mackinaw,  in 
latitade  45^  33'  north.    This  island  is  seven  milts  in 


260 


.^■?. 


MICHIGAN    TERRITORY. 


circuit,  tlie  greater  part  of  wliicli  is  covered  with  an  im- 
penetrable thicket  of  underwood  and  small  trees.  The 
ground,  which  is  of  an  elliptical  form,  gradually  rises  to 
the  height  of  150  feet  above  the  lake,  100  yards  from  the 
shore.  On  tliis  summit  stands  fort  Holmes,  which  now 
presents  ono  of  the  most  formidable  positions  in  the 
western  country.  It  is  composed  of  a  strong  stockade, 
is  neatly  built,  and  exhibits  a  beautiful  appearance  from 
the  water.  The  village,  near  the  fort,  contains  a  Roman 
Catholic  church,  and  nearly  150  houses,  most  of  which 
are  ordinary  buildings,  inliabited  by  Frenchmen.  Tiiis 
place  is  much  resorted  to  by  tlie  northwestern  traders, 
who,  in  the  months  of  June  and  July,  often  assemble  here 
to  the  number  of  700  or  800. 

Manitou  island,  near  the  northeastern  coast  of  lake 
Michigan,  is  six  miles  long  and  four  miles  wide. 

The  Beaver  Islands  consist  of  a  cluster,  extending 
from  Grand  Traverse  Bay  nearly  across  the  lake.  They 
are  low  and  sandy,  affording  shelter  to  light  boats,  on 
, their  way  to  Green  Bay. 

Grosse  island  consists  of  several  thousand  acres  of 
valuable  alluvial  ground,  being  in  length  five  miles,  and 
in  breadth  from  one  to  two.  It  is  two  miles  from  Mai- 
den, and  divides  the  river  Detroit  into  two  channels. 

The  settlementSt  consisting  of  the  white  population, 
have  been  chiefly  made  on  the  strait  of  Detroit,  the  rivers 
Maumee,  Raisin,  Huron,  and  lake  St.  Clair ;  they  are, 
however,  extended  from  fort  Meigs  to  lake  Huron,  in- 
terrupted occasionally,  from  three  to  ten  miles  ia  extent, 
by  woods,  or  Indian  reservations.  Where  the  French 
are  settled,  the  lots  are  narrow,  houses  thick,  always 
fronting  the  creeks,  rivers  and  lakes.  From  the  river 
Rouge  to  lake  St.  Clair«  a  distance  of  12  miles,  the  set- 


MICHIGAN   TERRITORY. 


S6L 


an  ini- 
The 
ise8  to 
om  the 
;h  now 
in  tlic 
ackade, 
:e  from 
Roman 
'  which 
.    This 
traders, 
t)le  here 

of  lake 

:tending 
e.  They 
(oats,  on 

ores  of 
lies,  and 
m  Mal- 
lels. 
tulation, 
le  rivers 
ley  are, 
iron,  in- 
cxtent, 
French 
always 
he  river 
the  set- 


tlements resemble  the  suburbs  of  a  large  town,  the  hou3es 
being  but  20  rods  distant  from  each  other,  and  much  of 
the  way,  not  so  far  apart.  Considerable  settlements  have 
lately  been  formed  on  lakes  Hurr  n  and  Michigan. 

l^he  Indians  within  the  territory  have  been  estimated 
at  3000  souls.  The  Ottawas  occupy  two  villages  near 
Maumee  baj,  and  another  6  miles  above  fort  Meigs ;  they 
have  also  establishments  on  the  river  Huron  and  at 
L'Arbre  Cruche,  where  they  have  made  greater  progress 
in  the  arts  of  civilized  life,  than  the  other  aborigines.^— 
They  profess  the  Roman  Catholic  religion,  and  have  a 
chapel  and  a  priest.  The  Miamiea  have  four  or  five 
towns  on  the  head  branches  of  Black  river.  The  Potta- 
wattimies  have  a  settlement  on  the  river  Macon,  above 
the  plantations  of  the  French  on  the  Raisin.  They  also 
•ccupy  two  vilfages  on  the  river  Rouge,  several  on  tlve 
St.  Joseph,  and  one  on  the  river  Huron,  15  miles  from 
Brownstown.  The  Wyandots  live  at  Brownstown  and 
Magauga ;  in  each  of  the  two  latter  places  is  a  village, 
containing,  in  the  whole,  44  houses.  The  Chippewas, 
on  Sagana  river,  have  villages.  All  the  tribes  cultivate 
Indian  corn,  some  of  them  wheat,  garden  vegetables  and 
fruit— raise  cattle,  horses,  hogs  and  poultry :  but  their 
•hief  means  of  subsistence  is  drawn  from  the  woods  and 
the  waters. 

Wild  ^nimah,  Fowls  and  Fish. — No  section  of  the 
United  States  is  more  abundantly  supplied  with  wild 
game,  aquatic  fowls,  and  fish,  than  the  territory  of  Michi- 
gan. Bears,  wolves,  elk,  deer,  foxes,  beaver,  otter,  musk* 
rats,  martin,  raccoon,  wild  cats,  rabbits  and  squirrels, 
are  numerous  in  the  forests. 

Wild  geese  and  ducks  are  found  in  such  immense 
flocks  on  the  lakes,  rivers  and  bays,  that  their  vociferous 


mt 


Yk* 


MICHIGAN  TERKITORT. 


squalling,  and  the  thundering  noise  of. their  wings,  seem 
to  remote  all  apprehension  of  the  fear  of  man.  Of  this 
tumultuous  confusion,  proceeding  from  numbers,  the 
sportsman  takes  adyantage,  to  repeat  his  fires,  without 
giving  alarm  or  disturbance  to  the  game.  Wild  turkies, 
quails,  grouse,  pigeons  and  hawks,  are  also  plenty- — the 
latter  in  autumn  appear  in  swarms,  and  prey  upon  corn 
and  new  sown  wheat. 

All  the  rivers  between  the  Maumec  and  the  St.  Joseph 
of  lake  Michigan,  together  with  the  lakes,  bordered  by 
shores  600  mile«  in  extent,  contain  inexhaustible  supplies 
of  fish.  The  trout  of  Mackinaw,  which  weigh  from  10 
to  70  pounds,  possess  an  exquisite  relish,  and  are  caught 
at  all  seasons  of  the  year.  White  flsh^are  caught  in  pro- 
digious numbers,  with  seines,  in  the  strait  of  Detroit,  and 
in  lake  St.  Clair.  They  alsoare  taken  with  great  dispatch 
by  hooks  and  spears.  Great  plenty  of  sturgeon  are  found 
in  these  lakes. 

Several  *9ncient  Mounds^  within  SO  miles  of  Detroit, 
on  the  river  Huron,  are  raised  on  a  dry  bluft*,  where  16 
baskets  fuU  of  human  bones,  of  an  extraordinary  size, 
were  found  in  diggii^  one  cellar.  On  the  west  bank  of 
Huron,  near  the  mouth,  the  labors  of  those  ancient  people 
are  distinguishable,  in  the  form  of  a  fortress,  with  walls 
of  earth  thrown  up,  like  the  fortifications  discovcraWe 
in  th<e  states  of  Indiana  and  Ohio. 

At  B*ll6  Fontaine,  or  Spring  Wells,  three  miles  below 
Detroit,  are  three  small  mounds,  in  a  straight  line,  about 
10  rods  apart ;  one  of  which  has  been  opened*  where  ma- 
ny bones,  stone  ales,  arrow  heads,  &c.  were  found.  One- 
fourth  of  a  mile  distant,  are  the  remains  of  an  ancient  for- 
tification, enclosing  several  acres  of  ground. 


MICHIGAN    TERRITORY 


•# 


S63 


this 
the 
liout 
kies» 
-the 
corn 

oseph 
id  by 
pplies 
omlO 
:aught 
in  pro- 
(it,  and 
ispatch 
found 

Detroit, 
\ere  16 
sixe> 
)aBk  of 
I  people 
walls 
/craWe 


Climate  and  Diseases.— The  climate  of  .the  eastern 
part  of  this  territory,  is  not  unlike  that  of  the  western 
counties  of  New-York  and  Pennsylvania — milder  next 
the  state  of  Indiana — on  the  coast  of  Huron  and  St.  Clair 
more  severe ;  where  winter  weather  is  generally  felt  two 
weeks  earlier  than  at  Detroit.  Lake  St  Clair  continues 
frozen  from  December  to  February.  The  northwest 
winds  blow  with  great  violence  across  lakes  Huron  and 
Superior. 

The  prevailing  diseases  of  this  climate  are  fevers,  in* 
termittent  and  bilious,  agues,  jaundice^  and  dysentery ; 
tlic  latter  is  often  fatal  to  children.  Consumptions  arc 
rare. 


below 
^,  about 

>re  tni" 
Onc- 
snttor- 


NORTHWESTERN  TERRITORY. 


When  the  tciTitory  of  Illinois  assunted  the  character 
of  a  state  government,  the  residue  of  the  Northwestern 
Territory  was  placed  under  the  territorial  jurfsdiction  of 
Michigan.  The  immense  tract  of  country,  stretching 
out  northwardly  on  the  borders  of  the  British  dominions, 
exceeding  more  than  three  times  the  space  of  Michigan 
territory,  is  bounded  on  the  south  by  the  state  of  Illinois ; 
on  tlic  east  by  lake  Michigan,  md  the  watei-s  forming  a 
communication  with  that  lake  .iiid  lake  Superior ;  on  the 
north  by  the  British  boundary  line,  extending  tiirough  the 
latter  lake,  and  thenc«  to,  and  through  the  lake  of  the 
Woods,  on  said  British  boundary  line,  to  a  point  due 
north  of  the  head  sources  of  the  Mississippi ;  and  on  tlie 
west,  by  a  line  due  south  from  the  northern  boundary 
to  the  head  of  the  Mississippi,  and  thence  on  tiie  Missis- 
sippi to  the  northwest  angle  of  tlie  state  of  Illinois :  be- 
tween latitude  42°  and  49°  north,  and  longitude  9°  and 
18°  west. 

Face  of  the  country,  rivers,  lakes,  soil,  productiom, 
Sfc. — Green  Bay,  in  width  from  six  to  thirty  miles, 
stretches  out  north  and  south,  parallel  with  lake  Michi- 
gan, to  the  extent  of  120  miles ;  communicating  with  tlie 
northwestern  part  of  the  latter,  by  a  broad  outlet.  The 
peninsula  between  the  two  bays,  is  in  width  fi'Qm  20  to 
40  qiiles. 


0 


NORTHWESTERN   1 ERKITORV. 


260 


Several  rivers  flow  into  Green  bay,  of  which  the  Fox, 
that  meets  the  bay  at  the  southwestern  extremity,  is  the 
principal.  It  flows  through  a  mouth  of  400  yards  wide* 
where  the  water  is  20  feet  in  dopth ;  and  is  navigable  160 
miles  to  the  portage.  Near  the  mouth  is  a  French  set- 
tlement, consisting  of  40  families.  These  settlers  occu- 
py both  sides  of  tl»e  river  for  five  miles,  and  have  devoted 
themselves  to  the  cultivation  of  the  soil.  A  century  has 
elapsed  since  the  first  establishment  there  by  the  French. 
They  raise  corn,  wheat,  peas,  potatoes,  and  various  other 
vegetables ;  also  large  stocks  of  cattle  and  horses.  The 
soil  on  each  side  of  the  Fox  river,  near  the  mouth,  is  of 
a  good  quality,  and  the  wheat  fields  and  gardens  display 
a  charming  appearance.  The  timber  growtli  is  walnut, 
maple,  sugar  maple,  poplar,  elm,  honey  locust  and  pine. 
The  shores  of  the  bay  are  vai  legated  with  prairas  and 
lands  covered  with  large  forest  trees.  For  two  or  three 
miles  from  the  lake,  the  banks  of  the  Fox  are  low,  where 
they  gradually  rise  to  the  height  of  nearly  100  feet.  This 
elevation  of  surface  continues  to  the  Winnebago  lake. 

About  20  miles  from  the  mouth  of  Fox  river,  is  the 
portage  of  Kakalin,  one  mile  in  length,  the  ground  even 
and  rocky,  the  fall  about  10  feet ;  ripples  obstruct  the 
navigation  for  nine  miles,  there  being  almost  a  continous 
rapid  to  the  fall  of  Grand  Konimee,  w  here  is  a  fall  of 
five  feet.  Just  above  this  fall,  the  river  expands  into  a 
sheet  of  water  from  two  to  five  miles  wide,  and  thirty 
miles  long,  called  Winnebago,  or  Puant  lake.  The  bor- 
ders of  this  lake  display  a  pleasant  surface  and  a  fertile 
soil,  producing  spontaneously,  grapes,  plumbs  and  other 
fruits.  Various  Indian  villages  are  scattered  on  the  mar- 
gins of  the  Winnebago,  and  above  and  below  on  the  Fox 
river.    The  Winnebagoes  raise  large  quantities  of  corn* 

Y 


mi^ 


NORTHWESTEUN    TERRITORY. 


licans,  pumpkins,  squashes  &c.  The  lake  abounds  in 
excellent  fisii  and  wild  water  fowls.  Six  miles  east  Iforn 
where  the  Winnebago  narrows  to  the  width  of  lOO  yards, 
up  the  river,  is  another  lake,  10  miles  lonj;;  tliree  niihs 
above  the  latter,  is  tlie  ccmfluence  of  tlie  J)e  Loup  svith 
Fox  river.  Here  the  lands,  bordering;  on  the  river,  uie 
aj^reeably  diversified  with  prairas  and  woods.  Extensive 
tracts  are  overspread  with  wild  grass,  which  grows  lux- 
uriantly, alVording  inexhaustible  means  of  raising  stocks 
vi'  cattle.  From  the  river  De  Loup  to  the  next  lake, 
called  Puchway,  is  about  80  miles.  The  latter  is  nine 
miles  long.  Further  up,  1^2  miles,  is  Lac  du  Bo?uf,  wliich 
extends  12  miles,  and  is  covered  with  foUes  avoines,  or 
wild  rice,  and  frequented,  spring  and  fall,  by  prodigious 
flocks  of  wild  fowls. 

Above  Lac  du  Boeuf,  the  river  bi'anchcs  into  two 
streams,  of  nearly  equal  magnitude ;  both  of  which  arc 
so  thickly  covered  with  wild  rice,  as  to  be  almost  impas- 
sable with  water  craft.  Thirty  miles  above  the  forks  of 
these  streams,  is  lake  Vaseux, — exhibiting  the  appear- 
ance of  a  complete  meadow.,  thickly  overspread  with  wil  I 
rice. 

A  description  of  this  plant,  which  presents  so  promi- 
nent and  distinguishable  a  feature  in  the  wild  vegetable 
groupe  of  tlie  country,  though  it  may  interrupt  our  sequel, 
will  not  improperly  suspend  tlic  attention  of  the  reader. 
This  valuable  aquatic  plant  (aveim  fatua)  is  scattered 
over  most  of  the  lakes,  rivers  and  bays  of  this  territory. 
This  plant,  called  by  the  French  fols  avoines,  and  by  the 
Indians  menomen,  grows  through  water,  from  four  to  se- 
ven feet  deep ;  but  does  not  take  root  ia  a  hard,  sandy- 
bottom.  The  surface  of  water  when  covered  with  it,  re- 
sembles inundated  cane  bnike£h-*the  blades  shoot  up  from 


NOllTHWESTF.nN    TKURITOTIY. 


267 


four  to  eiglit  feet  above  the  top  of  the  wator,  anil  ficquent- 
Iv  grow  so  close  to  eacli  other,  as  to  prevent  the  progress 
of  canoes  and  boats.  Tliey  are  of  the  size  of  Tennessee 
reed  cane,  studded  with  joints,  and  rxhibKinj;  the  texture 
and  color  of  bulruslies— tlic  branches,  above  the  water, 
have  the  appearance  of  oats.  While  in  the  milk,  the 
Indians,  yvho  gather  large  quantities  for  food,  to  protect 
the  crops  from  fowls,  bind  the  heads  together  on  the 
standing  blades,  and  when  ripe,  paddle  a  canoe  by  the 
side  of  the  branches,  with  outspread  blankets,  and  beat 
out  the  grain ;  and  so  prolific  is  the  plant,  that  a  squaw 
will  soon  fill  a  canoe.  The  wild  rice  is  said  to  be  as 
nutricious  and  palatable  as  that  which  is  made  a  cunimoB 
article  of  commerce. 

From  lake  Vaseux  to  the  portage,  between  the  Fox 
and  Ouisconsin  rivers,  is  15  miles.  Within  this  space 
the  Fox  river  leads  a  very  serpentine  course,  being  so 
incumbered  with  wild  rice,  as  to  render  the  use  of  oars 
difficult.  Near  the  portage,  the  river  does  not  exceed 
the  width  of  five  yards,  except  where  it  spreads  into 
small  lakes  and  rice  ponds.  In  the  course  of  five  miles 
the  river  is  so  crooked  and  circuitous,  that  the  boatman 
gains  a  distance  towards  the  portage  of  only  one  quarter 
of  a  mile.  The  ordinary  length  of  the  portage  is  two 
miles ;  but  when  the  two  streams  are  swelled  by  heavy 
rains,  loaded  boats  pass  conveniently  from  one  river  to 
the  other.  Half  of  the  distance  consists  of  a  morass, 
covered  with  tall  wild  grass;  the  residue  a  plain,  thinly 
set  with  oak  and  pine.  Half  the  way  being  a  kind  of 
natural  ravine,  in  a-soft  soil,  and  the  remainder  a  level 
space,  so  easy  to  be  excavated,  that  a  canal  could  be  con- 
veniently opened,  at  a  small  expense. 


268 


NORTHWESTERN    TERRITORY. 


At  the  portage,  which  is  350  miles  east  of  the  falls  of 
St.  Antlionj.and  '240  from  Fraira  du  Chein,  are  two  or 
three  French  ramilies  settled.  There  the  Ouisconsin  is 
about  100  yards  wide,  flowing  with  a  strong  smootli  cur- 
rent,  the  water  transparent  and  the  bottom  sandy — a 
low  stage  of  waler  presents  to  the  navigator  troublesome 
sandbars.  The  banks  of  the  Ouisconsin  are  fertile  ai.d 
pleasant;  the  surface  rises  into  high  hills,  at  a  distance 
of  10  or  15  miles.  On  the  margins  of  the  river  formerly 
stood  several  neat  Indian  villages  belonging  to  the  Kacs 
and  Ottigaumies,  who  raised  from  their  lands  an  abun- 
dance of  Indian  corn  and  other  vegetables.  Near  the 
aite  of  these  deserted  towns,  the  soil  is  of  an  excellent 
qualify.  The  valley  of  Ouisconsin  is  spread  out  from 
two  to  ton  miles  wide,  and  covered  in  some  parts  with 
forests  of  large  valuable  white  pines.  A  considerable 
portion,  however,  of  the  bordering  'ands,  is  hilly  and 
mountainous,  of  a  thin  soil,  and  stinted  growth  of  oak, 
and  hickory.    The  stones  are  generally  calcareous. 

On  the  soutli  of  the  Ousconsin,  the  mountains  abound 
in  lead  ore  of  the  best  quality.  This  metal  is  represent- 
ed by  Carver  to  have  been  so  plenty  among  the  Indians, 
that,  at  the  great  Saukie  town,  about  40  miles  below  Iho 
portage,  he  saw  laigc  quantities  of  it  strewed  about  the 
streets. 

The  Fox  and  Ouisconsin  rivers  have  long  been  the 
avenue  ic^'  all  the  commerce  that  has  been  carried  on  be- 
tween the  Mississippi  and  Mackinaw. 

The  mouth  of  the  Ouisconsin  is  in  latitude  43°  28': 
within  three  rdilt^  of  which,  on  the  east  bank,  is  the  vil- 
lage of  P.airadu  Chein,  deriving  its  name  from  a  familv 
of  Indians,  who  formerly  resided  there,  known  by  the 
appellation  of  Dogs,     !t  was  occupied  as  a  French  poirt 


NORTHWESTERN    TERRITORY. 


269 


falls  of 
two  or 
nsiii  is 
tli  cur- 
idy— a 
lesonie 
lie  at.d 
istance 
)rmerly 
le  Sacs 
n  abun- 
ear  tlie 
ccellent 
ut  from 
rts  with 
idcrablc 
illy  and 
of  oak, 
s. 

abound 
resent - 
ndians, 
low  lh« 
out  tiic 

leen  the 
on  be- 

13°  28' . 

the  vil- 
familv 
by  th<> 

ich  poir* 


about  a  century  ago-— the  garrison  and  village  being 
located  about  one  mile  below  the  present  town,  which 
was  established  under  the  British  government,  in  1783. 
The  old  establishment  under  tlic  patronage  of  the  French, 
consisted  of  nearly  1500  souls.  The  present  nimber  of 
inhabitants  do  not  mucli  exceed  400,  exclusive  of  the 
ITnited  States'  soldiers  now  stationed  there.  The  peo- 
ple, belonging  to  that  place,  may  be  considered  the  de- 
scendants ot  a  progeny  produced  from  French  scions 
engrafted  on  aboriginal  stocks.  The  incomplete  out- 
lines of  the  French  character  may  «m  distinctly  traced 
in  the  manners,  language  and  looks  of  the  inliabitants, 
who  have  made  considerable  progress  in  agriculture,  and 
the  indispensible  meclianical  arts.  The  bottom  on  which 
the  village  stands  is  nearly  one  mile  and  a  half  wi<ie,  in 
a  manner  environed  with  higli,  bald  hills.  Such  have  l>een 
the  agricultural  improvements  by  the  settlers,  that  they 
are  now  able  to  furnish  (having  an  excellent  gristmill) 
300 barrels  of  tiour  annually,  for  the  garrison. 

The  rivers  of  the  Northwestern  Territory  have  three 
general  distinct  courses :  flowing  northwardly  to  lake 
Su|)erior,  westwardly  to  the  Mississippi,  and  eastwardly 
to  lake  Michigan  and  Illinois  river. 

IUvrrsfJuwiujXto  the  cast,l  i^tween  the  northern  boun- 
dary of  Illinois  and  the  outlet  of  Green  Bay,  flow,  in  the 
order  named,  viz.  Tanahan,  Wakayah,  Masquedon, 
Cedar, Roaring,  Mil wakee,  Saukie,  Skab;iyaga!ll,  Maurice, 
and  Fourche.  These  streams  all  run  parallel  with  each 
other,  at  a  distance  of  from  ten  to  twenty  miles,  and 
heading  from  thirty  to  sixty  miles  of  the  lake. 

Roaring  river,  the  flowing  of  which  produces  «  nmse 
that  resembles  dist.mt  thunder,  heard  at  intervals  of  two 
or  three  days,  iu  the  wai  m  seasons,  is  approached  by  the 

Y    2 


270 


NORTHWESTERN    TERRITORY. 


Indians  with  religious  awe,  who  suppose  the  place  to  be 
the  residence  of  the  Great  Spirit.  The  noise  is  believed 
to  proceed  from  the  attraction  of  the  electric  fluid,  by 
the  great  quantities  of  copper  in  that  place,  which  so 
impregnate  the  waters  of  the  stream  with  mineral  parti- 
cles as  to  render  the  fish  unpalatable  ami  poisonous,  to  a 
degree  tliat  prevents  the  Indians  from  eating  them. 

Between  the  entrance  of  Green  Bay  and  Mackinaw, 
flow  the  rivers  Manistique  and  Mino  Cochcen  ;  the  for- 
mer flows  to  lake  Michigan,  30  miles  north  of  tiie  outlet  of 
the  bay.  This  is  a  considerable  river,  deriving  its  source 
from  a  lake  near  lake  Superior.  It  is  margined  with 
higli,  sandy  bankji,  and  covered  with  pine  timber. 

The  Jllno  Cochceti  is  deep  and  wide,  drawing  its  head 
waters  from  near  lake  Superior,  and  discharges  in  lake 
Michigan,  about  3.5  miles  southwesi  of  Mackinaw.  Be- 
tween the  latter  and  the  strait  of  St.  Mary,  the  Bouchi- 
taouy  and  St.  Ignance  enter  lake  Huron 

The  Strait  of  St.  Mary,  connecting  lake  Huron  and 
Superior,  is  50  miles  long,  having  several  cliannels  which 
embrace  nuiny  islands  ;  of  whicli  the  principal  Is  St. 
Josephs,  75  miles  in  circuit.  The  rivers  Minaston,  Mis- 
continsaki,  and  Great  Bouchitaouy,  all  flow  into  this 
strait,  of  which  the  last  interlocks  with  the  branches  of 
the  Manistique. 

The  southern  border  of  lake  Superior  is  watered  by 
more  than^O  rivers,  of  which  the  most  considerable, 
commencing  at  tlie  eastward  of  the  lake,  are  Grand 
Marais,  Corn,  Dead,  Carpe,  Great  and  Little  Garlic, 
and  Porcupine  rivers ;  all  which  join  the  lake,  east  of 
the  great  peninsula  of  Shagomogon,  which  projects  into 
the  la ive  more  than  60  miles.  Between  this  peninsula 
(bearng  Sro  miles  west  of  Saut  de  Marie)  and  the  Fond 


NORTHWESTERN   TERRITORY. 


dii  Lac,  are  the  rivers  Ontonagon,  Fair,  Montreal,  Bad, 
Bmntwood,  Godards  and  Strawberry.  The  St.  Louis 
flows  into  West  Ray,  at  Fond  du  Lac.  Tliis  river 
which  is  large,  and  navif^able  150  miles,  takes  its  rse, 
neai  the  eastern  head  branches  .of  the  Mississippi.  At 
the  mouth  and  near  tlie  source  of  the  St.  Louis,  the  North- 
west Company  have  established  several  trading  houses. 

Between  the  Ouisconsin,  which  wehave  before  descri- 
bed, and  the  head  sources  of  the  Mississippi,  numerous 
streams  flow  from  the  east  into  the  latter.  The  I^e 
Croix  and  Deer  rivers  interweave  their  branches  with 
the  St.  Louis,  and  enter  the  Mississippi  below  the  lurks 
of  the  St.  Louis. 

JSfmdow  river  di^chargts,  three  miles  below  the  falls 
of  Parkagnmon,  in  latitude  4G''  :10'  and  i>  tiaversed  with 
Indian  canoes  100  miles,  winding  through  prairf;^,  with 
pine  and  spruce  swamps  in  their  rear. 

Swan  river,  next  below,  jcins  the  Mississippi  ;  it  is 
navigable  ^av  canoes  90  miles,  to  Swan  lake. 

»SV»«//j/-/«^^  river  flows  in,  40  mdes  below  Swan  river. 
This  river,  though  of  a  considerable  size,  is  short,  con- 
necting Sandy  lake  with  the  Mississippi,  by  a  strait,  six 
nnles  lon^.  The  circuit  of  this  lake  is  nearly  25  miles. 
It  is  the  depository  for  several  small  rivers,  of  which  the 
n\ost  r«timiderablc  is  the  Savanna, — that  by  a  portage  of 
four  miles  communicates  with  the  St.  Louis  ;  having 
been  adopted,  in  connection  with  the  former  river,  by  the 
Nortiiwest  Company,  as  a  channel  of  communication  be- 
tween the  western  part  of  lake  Superior  and  the  Missis- 
sippi. 

Muddy  river,  a  small  stream  flows  in,  ^0  miles  beb'  .. 
The  rivers  following  are  in  course  as  named,  between  the 
last  described  and  tiie  Falls  ol  St.  Anthony  :  Red  Cedar, 


NORTHWESTERN   TERRITORY. 


De  Corbeau,  Shrub  Oak,  Lake,  Clear,  Elk,  St.  Francis 
and  Rum  rivers,  all  emptying  in,  from  the  east. 

The  8t,  Croix  falls  into  the  Mississippi  a  few  milts 
below  the  falls  of  St.  Anthony,  through  an  outlet  of  80 
yards  wide ;  500  yards  up,  it  ililates  into  a  long,  narrow 
lake,  from  2  to  3  miles  wide  and  30  miles  long.  Tliis 
stream  communicates  with  lake  Superior  by  Burnt  river, 
by  a  portage  of  half  a  mile  only,  having  a  gentle  current, 
without  any  falls  or  rapid.  No  otlier  communication, 
so  advantageous,  presents  itself  between  lake  Superior 
arnl  the  Mississippi. 

Tlie  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  in  latitude  44°  15'  present 
a  grand  and  beautiful  appearance.  The  whole  river, 
whicli  is  here  750  feet  broad,  fails  perpendicularly,  over 
a  height  35  feet.  About  70  miles  below  these  falls,  is 
an  expansion  of  the  Mississippi,  from  one  and  a  half  to 
four  miles  in  width,  and  22  miles  long,  devoid  of  any 
island,  called  lake  Pepin.  In  this  region,  three-fourths 
of  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  consist  of  open  prairas 
or  rather  bald  hills. 

The  river  Montaigne  enters  the  up|)er  end  of  lake 
Pepin  ;  into  the  lower  end  of  which  the  Chippewa 
pours  its  waters.  It  is  a  deep,  wide,  handsome  stream, 
that  interweaves  its  head  branches  with  those  of  the 
Montreal,  which  flows  into  lake  Superior,  and  also  with 
tlie  Menominie,  that  discharges  into  Green  IJay.  The 
branches  of  the  Chippewa  are  numerous,  of  which  the 
Rufus,  Vermillion,  and  Copper  rivers  are  the  principal. 
About  30  miles  from  the  Mississippi,  it  divides  into  two 
large  brandies. 

The  Buftalo,  Black,  n"-'  Praira  le  Croix,  between  lake 
Pepin  and  tlie  Ouisconsin,  tiow  into  the  Mississippi  from 
the  cast. 


NORTHWESTERN    rERRITORY. 


278 


?rancis 

J  iniU'S 
it  of  80 
narrow 
This 
it  liver, 
:urreiit, 
icatioii, 
iupcrior 

present 

le  riviT, 

ly,  over 

falls,  is 

.  half  to 

of  anv 

-fourths 

praira'i, 

of  lake 
^ippewa 
1  stream, 
of  the 
[SO  with 
The 
lich  the 
[incipal. 
Into  two 

en  lake 
Ipi  from 


The  interior  of  this  territory  is  watered  by  vast  num- 
bers of  lakes  and  ponds,  forming  the  sources  of  the  prin- 
cipal rivers. 

Having  described  the  lakes  and  rivers,  according  to 
the  best  information  we  could  obtain,  we  will  subjoin  a 
sbort  account  of  the  soil  and  surface  of  this  extensive 
region,  which  as  yet  has  been  but  very  imperfectly  ex- 
plored. 

The  alluvial  bottom  lands,  on  the  various  streams, 
have  been  supposed  equal  in  fertility  to  tJ.ose  of  Ohio  or 
Michigan.  The  corn  crops  of  Green  Bay,  Praira  de 
Chein,  and  even  as  far  north  as  the  banks  of  the  Onton- 
agon, which  flows  into  lake  Superior,  grow  as  luxuriantly 
as  in  any  part  of  the  western  country.  A  considerable 
portion  of  the  uplands  and  prairas,  south  of  the  parallel 
of  St.  Anthony's  Falls,  is  of  an  excellent  quality  ;  inter- 
spersed, however,  with  large  tracts  of  low,  wet,  flat  land, 
rocky  prairas,  shrub  oak  ridges,  and  extensive  strips  of 
a  light  sandy  soil  ;  the  latter  being  suitable  for  the  cul- 
ture of  small  grains.  High,  bald  hills  are  the  prevailing 
features  on  the  surface  in  many  places  on  the  banks  of 
Rocky  river  and  Ouisconsin. 

According  to  the  representation  of  lieutenant  Pike,  from 
the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  with  some  exceptions,  the  soil 
on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  to  the  head  waters  of  that 
river  gradually  deteriorates,  and  much  of  the  growth  is 
pine  and  hemlock.  There  are,  however,  tracts  of  con- 
siderable extent,  as  far  up  as  the  river  De  Corbeau  (in 
latitude 45°  50)  suitable  for  plantations,  where  mayb« 
found  small  bottoms ;  the  timber  growth,  oak,  ash,  maple 
and  lynn.  Thence  to  Pine  river,  the  margins  of  the 
Mississippi  display  a  dreary  prospect  of  high,  barren 
knobs,  covered  witli  dead  and  fallen  pine  timber  ;  occa- 


#' 


274  NORTHWESTERN    TERRITORY 

8ionally,but  rarely,  aro  groves  of  yellow  and  pitch  pine 
on  the  ridges,  and  small  bottoms  of  elm,  oak  and  ash. — 
The  adjacent  country  is,  more  than  two-thirds  of  it,  over- 
spread with  small  lakes.  Above  Pine  river,  a  very  small 
part  is  fit  for  cultivation — game  scarce,  the  surface  over- 
spread wi'li  pine  and  hemlock  ridges — but  occasionally 
some  praira  and  small  bottoms,  on  which  the  growth  is 
elm,  beech  and  lynn 

From  Leech  lake,  np  to  the  extreme  source  of  the 
Mississippi,  the  whole  face  of  the  country  exhibits  the 
appearance  of  an  impassable  morass,  or  boundless  sa- 
vanna. 

Between  46°  and  47®  north,  within  the  area  of  a  few 
miles  diameter,  are  the  head  sources  of  three  great  rivers, 
the  Mississippi,  St.  Lawrence  and  the  Red  river  of  Hud- 
son's Bay,  all  flowing  down  in  different  directions  and 
pouring  their  waters  into  distinct  seas,  at  a  vast  distance 
from  each  other.  Thus  it  appears,  that  this  height  of 
land,  flat  and  wet  as  it  is,  must  be  one  of  the  most  ele- 
vated situations  in  North  America. 

The  dividing  lands,  which  separate  the  head  waters  of 
the  Mississippi  from  those  of  lake  Superior,  are  covered 
with  forests  of  pine,  spruce  and  hemlock — thence  pro- 
ceeding towards  the  southern  margin  of  lake  Superior, 
a  tract  of  good  land,  suitable  for  cultivation,  is  spread 
out  extensively,  consisting  of  bottom  and  upland. 

From  the  Fond  du  liac  to  Point  Shagomogon,  the 
banks  of  the  lake  are  generally  o(  strong  clay,  mixed 
with  stones,  which  cause  the  navigation  of  the  lake  to  he 
perilous.  From  this  peninsula  to  the  outlet  of  the  lake, 
tlie  shore  is  almost  a  continous  straiglit  border  of  sandy 
beach,  interspersed  with  rocky  precipices  of  limestone, 
from  20  to  100  feet  high,  without  a  single  bay  ;  and  good 


NOUTinVESTETlN    TEKRITORY. 


-^s 


ll  good 


harbors  are  rare :  timber,  oak,  sugar  maple  and  pine ; 
uplands  of  a  sandy  soil,  the  bottoms  rich. 

On  tlie  southern  shore  of  tlie  St.  Mary,  are  extensive 
tracts  of  good  hmd,  suitable  for  settlements.  Tlie  south- 
ern bank  of  the  river  Miscojitinaski  is  covered  with  an 
excellent  soil.  On  the  margins  of  this  river  arc  handsome 
[Muiras  ;  in  the  rear  large  groupes  of  sugar  maple,  wiiere 
the  Chijipeways  have  established  numerous  sugar  camps. 
From  this  river  to  the  rapids  of  St.  Mary  is  almost  one 
continued  meadow. 

'Die  purchase,  made  by  Jonathan  Carvei',  of  the  Nau- 
dowessie  (lihe  of  Iixlians,  is  situated  within  this  territory. 
By  that  tribe  th.e  land  was  granted  to  Carver  as  a  con- 
sideration for  his  pacific  iuterpositi(>n,  whereby  lie  dis- 
'•uaded  tl»e  Chippeways,  with  a  numerous  band  of  war- 
riors, from  attacking  and  destroying  the  Naudowossies. 

The  tract,  claimed  by  Carver's  heirs,  contains  8,000, 
000  acres,  and  is  included  within  the  following  bounda- 
ries, vi/,.  "From  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  r  inning  on 
the  east  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  nearly  H)utl,east,  as  fur 
as  the  south  end  of  lake  Pepin,  where  tlr:  Chippewa 
joins  the  Mississippi ;  and  from  thence  eastward  five 
(lays  travel,  accounting  '20  English  miles  per  day;  and 
from  thence  north  six  dayrs  travel,  accounting  20  English 
miles  per  day  ;  and  from  thence  again  to  tlie  F'alls  of  St. 
Anthony,  on  a  direct  line."  To  obtain  a  confirmation  of 
tliis  Indian  grant  from  the  crown,  Carver  saiLul  to  Eng- 
land, where  he  died.  Ills  heirs,  in  1817,  ippli^'d  to  Con- 
2;res9  to  conUrm  the  gram  made  to  their  ancestor;  but 
their  claim  was  rejected.  The  lantls  described  in  Car- 
ver's grant  are  watered  by  the  Chippewa,  Mountain  and 
St  Croix  rivers,  beside  several  smaller  streams.  Carvtr 
is  supposed  to  be  the  only  white  man  who  has  explored 
the  interior  of  that  region. 


376 


NORTHWESTERN    TERRITORY. 


The  country  contiguous  to  the  Cliippewa,  up  to  its 
falls,  about  (tO  miles,  is  remarkably  level,  and  almost 
clenucleti  of  timber  and  trees ;  on  the  margins  of  the  river 
are  beautiful  meadows,  where,  as  Carver  states,  he  saw 
large  flocks  of  buffalo  and  elks  feeding.  Above  the  falls, 
he  found  the  country  much  broken,  and  thickly  wooded 
with  pine,  beech,  sugar  maple  and  birch.  He  represents 
the  country  adjacent  to  St.  Anthony's  Falls,  as  extreme- 
ly beautiful ;  the  surface  gently  waving,  and  covered 
r/'iih  handsome  groves  of  forest  trees.  Near  the  head  of 
'he  St.  Croix,  he  noticed  a  plenty  of  wild  rice,  and  an 
ab^indance  of  copper.  The  northwest  wind  is  repre- 
sented by  him  as  much  less  violent  in  the  interior  of  this 
territory,  than  in  the  Atlantic  states ;  and  he  remarks,  as 
a  proof  of  the  mildness  of  the  climate,  that  the  wild  rice 
comes  to  maturity  in  this  region ;  whereas  it  scarcely 
ripens  in  lake  Erie,  and  does  not  grow  east  of  that  lake. 

On  the  eastern  bank  of  the  IMississippi,  below  the  falls 
of  St.  Anthony  about  30  miles,  there  is  a  cave  of  great 
extent,  which  was  visited  by  Carver.  The  Indians  be- 
fieve  it  the  dwelling  place  of  the  Great  Spirit.  The  en- 
trance into  it  is  ten  feet  wide,  and  the  height  five  ;  the 
arch  within,  nearly  fifteen  feet  high,  and  about  thirty 
broad ;  the  bottom  is  composed  of  fine  clear  sand. — 
Within,  twenty  feet  from  the  entrance,  is  a  lake,  whose 
waters  are  transparent,  extending  to  an  unknown  dis- 
tance. A  pebble  thrown  into  the  lake,  causes  a  reverbe- 
ratory,  astonishing  noise.  Indian  hieroglyphics  are  en- 
graved on  the  walls. 

Minerals. — Some  parts  of  this  territory  abound  in 
valuable  lead  and  copper  mines.  The  mines  between  the 
Ouisconsin  and  Rock  river,  extend  within  five  or  six  miles 
of  tlie  Mississippi,  occupying  a  space  of  eiglity  miles  long; 


NORTHWESTERN    TF.URITORV. 


S77 


fiom  three  to  nine  wide — the  ore  is  of  a  superior  quality, 
and  supposed  to  be  inexhaustible.  Carver  affirms,  that, 
on  both  sides  of  the  St.  Croix,  he  discovered  several  mines 
of  pure,  virgin  copper.  Henry  King;,  Esq.  says,  that  oft 
the  Ontonagon,  and  in  its  vicinity,  he  found  an  abundance 
of  virgin  copper ;  and  that  the  Indians,  who  manufacture 
this  metal  into  spoons  and  bracelets,  showed  him  one 
lump  of  20  pounds  weight, — and  that  it  required  no 
other  refining  than  to  be  beaten  into  shape.  He  asserts, 
tiiat  on  ascendin?"  that  river,  ten  miles  from  the  mouth, 
he  discovered  a  mass  of  copper,  according  to  his  estima- 
tion, of  no  less  than  five  tons,  from  whjch  he  severed  with 
Itis  axe,  100  pounds.  He  supposed  this  mass  of  ore,  which 
was  at  the  foot  of  a  steep  hill,  had  parted  from  a  larger 
mass  and  rolled  down. 

Upon  the  island  of  Nonibojou,  between  Point  Manance 
and  Michicopoten,  on  the  north  east  coast  uf  that  island, 
this  adventurer  found  several  pieces  of  virgin  copper,  of 
which  some  resembled  the  leaves  of  vegetables,  and 
others  the  forms  of  animals;  and  were  from  an  ounce  to 
three  pounds  in  weight. 

Near  the  mouth  of  Roaring  river,  lump«  of  copper, 
of  from  seven  to  twenty-five  pounds  weight,  have  been 
found;  large  quantities  of  the  same  metal  have  also 
been  found  on  Middle  Island :  near  the  western  coast 
of  lake  Michigan,  considerable  quantities  of  pure  copper 
have  been  found.  Lead  is  represented  as  abounding 
on  the  river  Depage ;  and  iron  ore,  copperas  and  allum, 
on  the  shores  of  lakes  Huron  and  Superior. 

Jin  ancient  furtification,  four  feet  high,  and  nearly 
one  mile  in  extent,  just  below  lake  Pepin,  on  the  east 
bank  of  the  Mississippi,  may  very  distinctly  be  traced. 
Its  form  is  a  regular  circle,  the  flanks  extending  to  the 

z 


srs 


NORTHWESTERN   TERRITORY. 


river :  the  angles  are  still  definitely  prominent,  and  ap- 
pear to  be  fashioned  with  great  art.  Mounds  of  con- 
siderable elevation,  have  been  found  on  Menonomie  and 
Gaspard  rivers. 

Of  the  Indians  in  this  territory,  the  Menonomies  and 
Winnebagoes  are  the  only  tribes  which  appear  here  to 
be  exclusively  located.  The  former  occupy  villages  on 
the  Menonomie  and  Fox  rivers,  at  the  Kakalin  and 
Grand  Kenomie  portages,  and  on  the  Winnebago  lake. 
Tlieir  forms  are  well  proportioned,  their  deportment 
mcjestic,  their  eyes  handsome,  and  their  utterance  in 
speech,  animated ;— *their  language  bears  no  resemblance 
to  the  neighboring  tribes,  and  is  difficult  to  be  acquired. 
War  and  pestilence  have  so  reduced  their  tribe,  that 
they  can  muster  only  250  warriors.  But  their  bravery  has 
rendered  them  so  much  respected,  that  they  are  indulged 
by  the  Sioux  and  Chippeways  with  the  privilege  of  hunt- 
ing on  their  grounds. 

The  Winnebagoes  occHipy  villages  on  the  Ouisconsin, 
Rocky  and  Fox  rivers,  on  Green  bay,  on  an  island  in 
lake  Michigan,  and  on  Winnebago  and  Puckway  lakes. 
Their  number  of  warriors  are  reckoned  at  about  300» 

The  same  species  of  Fish  which  swim  in  the  other 
great  western  lakes,  east  of  lake  Superior,  are  very  abun- 
dant ir»  the  latter ;  as  also  in  the  numerous  rivers  which 
flow  into  the  lake,  from  which,  and  some  of  its  tributary 
streams,  salmon  trouts  have  been  taken,  that  exceeded 
50  pounds  weight  each. 


ARKANSAW  TERRITORY. 


The  boundary  lines  of  this  territory,  which  was  carved 
out  of  the  territory  of  Missouri,  and  by  act  of  Congress 
of  March,  1819,  erected  into  a  separate  territorial  gov- 
ernment, arc  as  follow,  viz.  beginning  on  Mississippi 
river,  at  36°  north  latitude,  running  thence  west  to  the 
river  St.  Francis,  thence  up  the  same  to  36°  30'  north 
latitude  ;  and  thence  west,  to  the  western  territorial 
boundary  line ;  thence  south  on  the  same  line,  to  33* 
north  latitude  ;  thence  east,  on  tiie  northern  boundary 
of  the  state  of  Louisiana,  to  the  Mississippi ;  thence  up 
that  river  to  the  place  of  beginning.  This  territory, 
whose  length  and  extreme  breadth  are  equal,  being  near- 
ly ii40  miles  each,  contains  about  50,000  square  miles, 
and  is  situated  between  13°  and  17°  west  longitude,  and 
between  33°  and  36°  30'  north  latitude. 

Face  of  the  country,  rivers,  soil,  timber  growth,  cJt.— 
Of  the  rivers  which  water  the  territory  of  Arkansaw, 
tlie  Mississippi,  the  Arkansaw,  the  Washita,  the  White 
river,  and  the  St.  Francis  are  the  principal.  For  a  des- 
cription of  the  two  former,  we  refer  our  readers  to  the 
preliminary  remarks ;  and  for  that  of  the  Washita,  to 
our  geographical  sketches  of  Louisiana. 

White  river  rw'^y  in  the  Black  mountains,  which  sepa- 
rate it  from  the  .\rkif.;ijaw.  The  northern  and  eastern 
branches  of  the  !•.  fftiie*'  river,  derive  their  sources  from 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


'<»    ,.  mi? 


..     •^-    /  V#'<^ 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


■^«IM   IDZ5 


14 


112 


I  ^  Ilia 

1^    1^    12.0 


14  mil  1.6 


<? 


A 


V 


Photographic' 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  W€ST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


<^       .V^ 


,\ 


k 


qv 


\\ 


r^\  <»^ 


'<>!% 


A 


^ 


k 


280 


ATIKANSAW   TERRITORY, 


near  those  of  the  Osage,  the  Gasconade,  the  Maramack, 
and  the  western  branches  of  the  St.  Francis.  The  ex- 
treme western  branches  commence  more  than  200  miles 
on  a  straight  line  west  of  the  western  boundary  of  the 
territory,  and  entering  the  nortliwestern  part  thereof, 
the  river  traverses,  in  an  eastern  course,  more  than  half 
the  width  in  a  straight  line,  of  the  territory  ;  and  receiv- 
ing Black  river  from  the  north,  a  little  below,  the  junction, 
turns  short,  and  flows  nearly  in  a  southern  direction, 
and  disembogues  into  the  Mississippi,  about  QO  miles 
above  the  mouth  of  the  Arkansaw.  Thirty  miles  above 
the  junction,  a  bayou  puts  in  from  the  Mississippi,  form- 
ing a  communication  between  the  two  rivers,  the  current 
setting  alternately  from,  or  to  the  several  streams,  ac- 
cording to  the  greater  elevation  or  depression  of  the  one 
or  the  other.  The  navigation  of  the  White  river,  as  it 
runs,  is  computed  to  extend,  from  its  mouth,  1,200 
miles  ;  on  a  straight  line,  not  exceeding  500.  It  is  ex- 
empted from  shoals  and  rapids  ;  and  its  current,  which 
is  pure  and  limpid,  is  not  low,  even  in  the  dryest  sea- 
sons. 

Below  Black  river,  several  smaller  streams  flow  in, 
among  which  are  Rapid,  John,  James,  and  Red  rivers, 
being  each  navigable  from  one  to  three  hundred  miles. 
Black  river,  composed  of  many  tributary  streams  of  con- 
siderable size,  is  navigable  400  miles.  Up  50  miles  from 
the  mouth,  is  Lawrence,  the  seat  of  justice  for  Lawrence 
county.  Spring  river,  which  is  a  tributary  of  Black 
river,  remarkable  for  its  formation  by  the  junction  of  a 
number  of  springs  issuing  near  each  other,  is  so  copious, 
as  to  produce  a  stream  200  yards  in  width,  narrowing  to 
a  current  of  50  or  60  yards,  which  is  navigable  for  M) 
miles,  swarming  with  excellent  flsh,  and  afibrding  a  re* 


ARKANSAVr  TERRITORY. 


S81 


treat,  through  the  winter  seasons,  for  immense  fiocks  of 
swans,  geese  and  ducks.  At  the  mouth  of  this  stream 
a  town  is  laid  out. 

In  the  region  watered  bj  White  river,  the  prevailing 
stones  are  lime  and  marble,  by  th<*  decomposition  of  which 
is  produced  that  excellent  soil,  which  is  spread  over  the 
surface.  There  are  some  prairas,  but  they  are  of  mode- 
rate extent.  The  surface,  though  generally  waving,  is 
in  some  parts,  broken,  and  interspersed  occasionally 
with  knobs.  The  soil,  with  few  exceptions,  is  strong 
and  fertile,  well  supplied  with  springs  of  pure  water,  and 
shaded  with  handsome  forest  trees.  The  country,  in 
point  uf  soil  and  timber  growth,  much  resembles  the  best 
parts  of  Kentucky,  Indiana,  and  West  Tennessee.  The 
tract  to  which  this  description  applies,  is  more  than  150 
miles  square.  Beside  cotton  and  tobacco,  which  grow 
luxuriantly,  corn,  the  small  grains,  and  the  various  kinds 
of  fruit  trees,  that  flourish  in  the  western  country,  suc- 
ceed in  this  soil.  The  mountains  on  the  northwest  and 
north,  sheltering  this  region  from  the  cold  winds,  confer 
a  mildness  on  the  climate,  as  favorable  to  the  security  of 
tender  plants  and  fruits,  as  is  common  to  latitudes  in  the 
west,  2  or  3  degrees  further  south.  After  the  state- 
ment of  these  facts,  it  need  not  be  added,  that  few  situa- 
tions, of  so  southern  a  latitude,  afford  so  great  a  security 
to  the  health  of  the  human  constitution. 

This  whole  tract  has  been  surveyed,  and  is  now  ex- 
posed for  sale.  Below  the  forks  of  White  river,  about 
100  miles,  salt  works  are  established  at  a  saline,  which 
is  said  to  be  copious,  and  strongly  saturated  with  salt. 

The  St.  Francis  is  formed  from  two  large  branches, 
which  unite  a  few  miles  below  the  northern  boundary  of 
the  territory ;  the  eastern  finds  its  sourceg  in  the  hills 

y2 


2as 


ARKANSAW   TERRITORY. 


west  and  northwest  of  Cape  Girardeau,  from  SO  to  60 
miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  and  runs  nearly  par- 
allel with  the  Mississippi :  the  western  branch  heads 
near  the  extremities  of  branches  which  flow  to  the  Mara- 
mack,  in  the  lead  mine  region,  and  pursues,  to  the  junc- 
tion, a  southwardly  course.  Below  the  junction  of  the  St. 
Francis,  the  river,  running  nearly  parallel  with  the  Mis- 
sissippi, at  a  distance  of  from  40  to  60  miles  from  the 
latter,  joins  it  about  75  miles  above  the  mouth  of  White 
river.  It  is  navigable  3G0  miles,  to  within  60  miles  west 
of  Cape  Girardeau.  The  southern  bank  is  considerably 
overflowed  by  high  waters,  some  of  it  irreclaimable 
swamps,  and  the  current  obstructed  by  drift  wood^— 
Much  of  the  northern  bank  is  ovempread  with  cane. 
Two  bayous  put  out  from  the  Mississippi,  and  extend 
to  the  St.  Francis  many  miles  above  its  mouth. 

Chepousa  river  rises  in  a  small  lake,  and  running  near- 
ly 70  miles,  falls  into  the  Mississippi  90  miles  below  the 
mouth  of  the  Ohio. 

Between  the  St.  Francis  and  White  river,  below  the 
forks  of  the  latter,  are  various  small  streams,  of  consi- 
derable length ;  part  flowing  into  the  latter,  and  part  in- 
to the  former,  in  a  southern  direction.  The  soil  alluvial, 
deep  and  strong ;  but  the  surface  generally  low  and  flat, 
a  considerable  portion  of  it  marshy,  and  occasionally  in- 
undated. There  are,  however,  large  tracts  in  this  region, 
suitable  for  cotton  plantations. 

The  •Arkansaw  enters  that  territory,  near  the  centre, 
on  the  western  boundary,  and  flowing  in  an  eastern 
course  more  than  100  miles,  as  the  river  runs,  thence 
turns  and  meanders  east,  and  after  pursuing  a  very  ser- 
pentine route,  pours  its  waters  into  the  Mississippi,  about 
80  miles,  on  a  straight  linei  from  the  southeast  angle  of 


ARKANSAW   TERRITORY. 


283 


the  territory.  Through  tlie  greater  part  of  this  route, 
the  banks  are  inundated  by  high  waters.  Where  not  too 
low,  the  soil,  which  is  deep  and  strong,  produces  luxuri- 
ant cotton  crops.  The  timber  growth  resembles  that  on 
the  Mississippi  margins. 

The  post  or  town  of  Arkansaw,  is  about  45  miles  from 
the  junction  of  the  river  with  the  Mississippi.  This  is 
one  of  the  earl'  3st  settlements  in  Louisiana,  having  been 
commenced  more  than  a  century  past.  Hunting  and 
trade  with  the  Indians,  have  chiefly  constituted  tlie  em- 
ployment of  the  inhabitants ;  who,  till  of  late,  were  mostly 
French,  and  descendants  proceeding  from  an  intercourse 
between  French  and  Indians.  A  large  proportion  of  the 
land  surrounding  the  settlement,  is  so  low  and  flat,  as  to 
be  subject  to  inundation.  The  buildings  in  the  town, 
erected  by  the  French,  are  ordinary,  and  seem  to  be  in  a 
state  of  decay ;  but  of  late,  emigrants  and  recent  settlers 
have  diffused  a  commercial  spirit  among  the  people,  and 
the  place  begins  to  assume  a  new  appearance. 

Between  Arkansaw  and  White  rivers,  towards  the 
Mississippi,  is  a  handsome  praira,  extending  north warldly 
90  miles,  in  width  from  6  to  12  miles,  and  constituting 
the  sources  of  the  small  tributaries,  which  flow  to  oppo- 
site points  into  the  two  rivers.  This  tract  of  praira  ap- 
pears to  be  within  the  survey  of  200,000  acres,  intended 
for  the  bounty  lands  of  soldiers. 

The  Hot  Springs  are  too  curious  and  important  an 
©bject  to  omit,  though  we  attempt  here  only  to  proscni 
the  mere  outlines  of  the  natural  feat'res  of  the  countrv. 
Those  Springs  are  situated  about  latitude  34°  20'  north, 
eight  miles  from  the  Washita,  on  a  little  bayou,  where  the 
two  branches  of  it  unite.  The  place  is  environed  with 
mountains,  except  on  tlie  southwest,  by  which  the  bayou 


S8i 


ARKAXSAW   TERRITORY. 


finds  its  passage  to  tlie  Washita.  From  tlie  side  of  a  high 
bluiF,  southeast  of  the  bayou,  issue  30  springH.  The  largest 
of  these  r.prings  are  said  to  be  nearly  six  inches  in  dia- 
meter. To  the  warm  springs,  which  emit  a  heat  that 
will  boil  an  egg  hjird  in  15  minutes,  the  invalids  resort; 
of  whom,  in  1812,  was  the  number  of  300.  The  niedici- 
lial  properties  of  these  waters  have  been  esteemed  effi- 
cacious in  removing  rheumatic  pains,  confirmed  ulcers, 
and  all  kinds  of  cutaneous  affections :  but  to  those  labor- 
ing under  pulmonary  diseases,  the  application  of  these 
waters  has  proved' injurious. 

Two  miles  from  the  Hot  Springs  is  a  quarry,  which 
abounds  with  oil  stone,  apparently  of  the  same  qualities 
of  the  Turkey  oil  stone,  in  such  estimation  is  this  valu- 
able stone  held,  that  it  is  becoming  an  article  of  conside- 
rable traffic.  The  lands  for  several  miles  around  the  Hot 
Springs,  except  the  margins  of  streams,  are  of  an  indif- 
ferent quality,  broken  surface,  thin  soil,  and  fitted  only 
for  the  rearing  of  stock. 

On  the  Fmirche  Cado,  a  considerable  branch,  which 
(being  south  of  the  Hot  Springs)  flows  east  to  the  Wash- 
ita, is  an  extensive  body  of  rich  arable  land,  on  which 
nearly  one  hundred  industrious  cultivators  have,  within 
four  or  five  years,  commenced  setflements.  Six  i^iles 
below  the  Cado,  near  the  Washita,  is  a  valuable  saline, 
where  considerable  quantities  of  salt  are  made. 

The  country  watered  by  the  Little  Missouri,  that  flows, 
from  the  west,  into  the  Washita,  1  es  in  the  southwest 
angle  of  the  territory.  This  tract,  which  contains  nearly 
fifty  square  miles,  is  supposed  not  to  be  exceeded  by  any 
compact  body  in  the  west,  of  equal  extent,  either  io  fer- 
tility, or  other  valuable  properties,  which  serve  to  render 
it  desirable  and  convenient  for  cultivation.    A  large  poi^ 


ATIKANSAW   TEURITORY. 


285 


tion  consists  of  praira,  rarely  exceeding  200  acres  each, 
covered  with  a  deep,  black  mould,  overspread  with  a  lux- 
uriant grass; — the  prairas  all  skirted  with  thick  borders 
of  stately  oaks,  of  which  the  trunks  of  many  are  nearly 
40  feet,  clear  of  limbs.  This  extensive  tract  of  good  land 
occupies  the  ground  which  parts  the  streams  flowing  to 
the  Washita  and  Red  rivers :  and  though  much  of  the 
surface  is  broken,  it  is  not  so  hilly  as  to  render  it  incapa- 
ble of  cultivation.  A  singular  circumstance,  worthy  of 
note,  is,  that  the  highest  grounds  are  praira,  and  the  low 
grounds  wood,  consisting  of  various  species  of  forest  tim- 
ber. Those  prairas  are  pretty  generally  covered  witb 
oyster  and  other  sea  shells,  the  remains  of  which  appear 
to  extend  two  or  three  feet  deep.  The  first  settlement 
in  this  part  of  the  country  was  made  in  1812.  There  arc 
now  more  than  120  families  on  this  tract.  In  the  county 
of  Arkansaw  is  supposed  to  reside  about  6000  inhabi* 
tants.  It  would  be  difficult  to  estimate  the  number  within 
the  territory. 


MISSOURI  TERRITORY. 


Having  completed  our  Geographical  Sketches  of  the 
extensive  region,  commonly  denominated  the  Western 
Country,  excepting  that  portion  which  is  situated  west 
of  the  Mississippi,  and  north  and  west  of  the  territory 
of  Arkansaw  j  of  this  great  tract,  which  remains  to  be 
described,  occupying  a  space  but  little  inferior  in  magni- 
tude, to  all  the  residue  of  territory  within  the  limits  of 
the  United  States,  we  shall  proceed  to  give  such  sketches 
and  outlines,  as  have,  after  the  most  diligent  eiquiry, 
come  within  our  notice.  As  most  of  this  immense  re- 
gion remains  unexplored,  and  but  little  known,  our  de- 
scription of  it  must  necessarily  be  confined  to  general 
lineaments,  indefinite  views,  and  such  natural  promiinent 
features  on  the  surface,  as  are  most  distinguishable.  The 
Mississippi,  and  the  western  line  of  Arkansaw  territory, 
form  the  eastern  boundary ;  the  Pacific  ocean  the  wes- 
tern $  the  territory  of  Arkansaw,  and  the  Spanish  Pro- 
vinces the  southern ;  and  the  British  Province  of  Upper 
Canada,  the  northern.  The  territory  of  which  we  treat, 
Stretches  out  from  12**  to  48"  west  longitude,  and  from 
SS**  to  49"  north  latitude.  Its  greatest  length  about  2,500 
miles;  its  greatest  breadth  about  1,100;  containing  one 
millioQ  square  miles,  or  640,000,000  acres. 


MISSOURI    TERRITORY. 


287 


FacR  of  the  country,  rivers,  hkes,  soil,  natural  growth, 
4*c.— Tributaries  of  the  Mississippi,  that  flow  to  it  on  the 
^vestern  bank,  are,  the  J?u^a/o,  about  150  yards  wide  at 
its  mouth  ;  Bear  river,  20  yards  wide  ;  Salt  river,  in 
length  100  miles,  and  navigable  50  miles,  enters  the  Mis- 
sissippi 90  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri.  The 
lands  southwest  of  this  river,  bordering  the  Mississippi 
50  miles,  are  of  a  good  soil,  praira  and  wood  conveniently 
intermixed.  The  country  is  healthy,  and  well  supplied 
with  good  springs  of  water.  Considerable  quantities  of 
salt  are  made  on  Salt  river.  In  1816,  the  first  settlements 
commttnced  ;  which  have  increased  to  more  than  100 
families.  Jaustioni,  SO  yards  wide,  is  the  boundary  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  the  Sacs.  Wyaconda  is 
100  yard*  wide  at  the  mouth.  The  Des  Moines,  150 
yards  wide  at  its  mouth,  flows  south-westwardly,  450 
miles.  It  is  250  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri, 
and  navigable,  from  its  mouth,  300  miles.  The  country 
watered  by  this  river,  is  delightsome  and  fertile ;  good 
timber  and  water  are  plenty.  Iowa  river,  in  width  150 
yards  at  its  mouth,  is  navigable  for  batteaux,  nearly  300 
miles,  to  where  it  branches  into  three  forks,  called  the 
Turkey^s  Foot  s  which,  a  little  above,  expand  into  rice 
lakes.  From  its  mouth  36  m.iles,  it  forks  into  two  bran- 
ches, of  which  the  west  is  called  lied  Cedar  river,  from 
the  prevailing  growth  of  that  species  of  wood  on  its  banks. 
Between  the  last  described  river  and  St.  Peters,  that  en- 
ters the  Mississippi  40  miles  below  St.  Anthony's  Falls, 
of  a  smooth  gentle  current,  navigable  to  the  source,  800 
miles,  are  twelve  or  thirteen  small  rivers,  several  of  which 
are  navigable  for  many  miles.  The  St.  Peters  is  entered 
by  several  tributaries,  of  which  the  principal  is  Sauteaux; 
up  which,  15  miles,  are  found  the  Sioux  villages,  in  fine 


288 


MISSOUUI    TLUniTORV. 


praira  lands.  Great  and  Little  '9rtc  rivers,  the  former 
200  yards  wide,  flow  into  the  Mississippi  a  little  above 
the  Falls.  Still  further  up,  45  miles,  is  Pine  creek  ;  the 
margins  are  covered  with  red  and  white  pine— back  of 
these  groves  are  prairas.  Here  liieutenant  Pike  en- 
camped and  spent  the  winter,  with  his  exploring  party, 
in  1805.  Elk  river  has  a  communication  by  the  Sau- 
tcaux  river,  with  tlie  St.  Peters.  River  de  Corbeau  flows 
to  the  Mississij)pi  about  375  miles  above  St  Anthony's 
Falls.  The  Corbeau  being  equal  in  magnitude  and  ex- 
tent to  the  eastern  fork,  which  bears  the  name  of  the 
Mississippi,  Lieutenant  Pike  was  of  opinion,  that  the 
junction  of  the  two,  being  the  extreme  head  branches, 
ought  to  be  considered  the  forks  of  that  river.  By  a  por- 
tage of  one  mile  from  the  Corbeau  i^io  Otter  Tail  lake, 
one  of  the  great  sources  of  the  Red  river,  a  tributary  of 
Hudson's  Bay,  a  communication  by  water  is  opened 
from  the  Mississippi  to  that  t»ay.  Still  further  up  are 
several  small  streams,  such  as  the  Pine,  Pike,  Winipeg, 
and  Leech  lake  rivers,  the  latter  being  fed  by  Leech  lake, 
one  of  the  main  extreme  head  sources  of  the  Misssissippi. 

Near  latitude  46°  the  Red  river  of  the  Hudson  flows 
by,  to  the  west  of  the  head  sources  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
after  passing  northwardly  within  the  territorial  limits  of 
the  United  States,  more  than  200  miles,  enters  the  great 
lake  Winipeg  near  52°  north  latitude. 

The  Maramack,  at  its  head,  is  a  copious  spring,  burst- 
ing suddenly  from  a  large  fountain,  near  the  heads  of  the 
8t.  Francis  and  White  rivers.  Its  general  course  is  east ; 
after  leading  a  serpentine  navigable  route  250  miles,  it 
enters  the  Mississippi,  about  40  miles  below  the  mouth 
of  the  Missouri.  A  branch  of  this  river,  called  the  Negro 
Fork,  rises  near  the  Mine  a  Burton,  and  Sowing  tlirough 


MISSOURI    TERRITOIIY, 


^9 


the  lead  mine  region  joins  the  main  stream,  about  30 
miles  from  its  moutlj. 

A  description  of  the  Missouri  will  be  found  in  our 
preliminary  remarks.  From  the  moutii  of  this  river  to 
that  of  the  rivQr  La  Platte,  in  latitude  41°,  a  distance  of 
more  than  600  miles,  the  land  is  generally  of  good  quality, 
and  timber  tolerably  plenty  ;  in  many  places  the  soil  rich, 
and  the  face  of  the  country  pleasant.  From  the  mouth 
of  the  Missouri  to  the  moutli  of  the  Kansas,  the  former 
does  not  vary  more  than  a  lialf  a  degree  from  an  east 
course,  in  the  distance  of  3-10  miles,  as  the  river  runs— 
from  the  Kansas  to  the  great  northern  bend  at  Shannon's 
creek,  latitude  43°,  the  course  of  the  river  is  nearly 
southeast,  and  the  distance  by  water  720  miles.  From 
thence  to  the  Mandan  village,  in  latitude  47°  23'  where 
the  Missouri  makes  nearly  a  right  angle,  turning  short 
from  an  eastern  course,  which  it  had  pursued  from  its 
western  sources,  it  flows  nearly  south,  through  4^  de- 
grees of  latitude,  a  distance  by  water  of  455  miles.—* 
From  the  confluence  of  the  river  La  Platte  with  the 
Missouri,  for  1500  miles  up,  the  soil  becomes  less  pro- 
ductive ;  and  except  on  the  bottoms,  the  land  of  an  or- 
dinary second  rate  quality— the  surface,  the  greater 
part,  void  of  timber,  rather  hilly,  but  not  mountainouSj 
and  with  few  rocks  or  stones.  The  particles  constitut- 
ing the  soil  being  of  a  light  texture,  on  the  steep  decli- 
vities, are  constantly  washing  by  heavy  rains  to  the  bot- 
toms of  the  hills.  A  surface  and  soil  not  unlike  that 
which  lies  on  this  portion  of  the  margins  of  the  Missouri, 
is  said  to  extend,  eastwardly  and  westward  ly,  a  great 
distance  from  the  river,  on  each  side — 4he  whole  surface 
without  forest  trees,  except  on  the  margins  of  the  streams 
V— the  country,  farther  than  the  eye  can  reach,  exhibiting 

A  a 


20O 


MissouKi  Trnuriouy. 


an  appoarancc  of  a  grainl  praira,  nv  nxilivi  Iwrvpti,  over- 
spread with  a  short  thick  <;;raHs,  interspersed  with  bh»s- 
sorns  and  Howers  »>f  every  hue,  that  llourish  and  decay 
in  succession,  according  to  the  times  of  tlic  maturity  of 
their  respective  species,  from  sprin;^  to  autumn. 

Tiie  summits  of  these  hills,  in  the  summer  season,  pre- 
sent most  enchanting  ])rospects  to  the  spectator,  hill 
and  dale,  widely  extended  plains,  covere<l  wilh  a  wav- 
ing carpet  of  green,  most  fancifully  decorated  with  an 
ilifinite  variety  of  bee  Uiful  llowers — the  great  parent  of 
rivers  in  his  majestic  march,  wi ruling  his  course  and 
pouring  his  waters  from  a  thousand  tributary  stieams, 
that  bend  their  circuitous  courses  among  the  hills,  de- 
finitely bordered  by  narrow  groves  of  stately  cotton  and 
morehumble  willow  trees,while  thou^ands  ofelk,deerand 
burtalo  arc  seen  grazing,  seemingly  unconscious  of  dan- 
ger, in  these  unfretjuented  walks  of  civilized  man,  all  ap- 
parently exhibiting  to  view  the  semblance  of  a  surface  of 
a  century's  agricultural  improvements,  and  of  great  flocks 
of  domestic  animals,  reared  by  the  care  of  man,  and  scat- 
tered widely  over  his  plantations.  The  last  described 
region,  though  not  generally  eligible  for  the  various  pur- 
poses of  agriculture,  is  unquestionably  well  fitted  for  the 
rearing  of  numerous  flocks  of  horses,  cattle  and  sheep. 

The  tract  of  country  called  the  Cape  Girardeau  Dis- 
trict, lies  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  in  width  100 
miles,  extending  back,  west  from  the  Mississippi,  200 
miles,  is  beautifully  watered  by  the  northern  head 
branches  of  the  St.  Francis  and  White  rivers. 

A  ridge  of  hiils  leaves  the  Mississippi,  about  20  miles 
above  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  being  the  first  high  land 
on  the  west  bank,  from  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  a 
distance  of  1136  mileSj  consisting  of  a  high,  rocky  blufij 


MISSOUUI    TKIIRITOIIY. 


291 


that  cxtiMuls  soulljvvestwardly,  and  divides  tln^  waters 
tl()\vin<>;  to  the  St.  Francis  and  White  rivers,  f roiu  those> 
\Nhicli  llou'  to  tlie  Missouri  and  (he  Mississippi  above  the 
bluft'.  Above  this  ridtro  ol'  liiji!,h  land,  to  the  nortii,  a  re- 
gion is  opened  tothe  view,  which  assumes  an  appearance 
totally  dissimilar,  and  in  many  respects,  preferable  to 
the  alluvial  plains  to  t]»e  south.  To  within  three  or 
four  miles  of  tlie  Mississippi,  above  the  blufts,  the  lands 
are  much  broken,  and  are  ordinary  second  rate  ;  thence 
westwardly,  for  a  distance  of  30  miles,  the  country  is  hil- 
ly, the  soil  excellent,  and  the  water  and  timber  good 
and  abundant  ;  still  further  westwardly,  c^  ..  >tinji:  on 
the  bottoms  of  ihe  numerous  streams,  barrens  itud  flint 
hills  prevail.  At  a  distance  of  nearly.  70  miies  south- 
west of  Cape  Girardeau,  some  extensive,  CAcellei't  bot- 
toms are  fri nd,  on  the  head  branches  of  the  St.  Francis, 
an  '  a  considerable  tract  of  good  land,  well  timbered,  ii 
spread  out  on  the  hills. 

The  great  swamp,  so  called,  commences  about  five 
miles  south  of  Cape  Girardeau,  in  width,  from  three  to  five 
miles,  stretching  nearly  60  miles  long,  terminating  in 
the  low  lands  on  the  St.  Francis.  For  a  distance  of  22 
miles  west  of  New-Madrid,  a  place  of  but  little  commer- 
cial importance,  towards  Winchester,  the  seat  of  justice 
for  the  county  of  New-Madrid,  the  land  is  sufficiently 
elevated,  and  of  a  good  quality,  except  what  lies  between 
Winchester  and  the  upper  lakes,  where  the  surface  is 
too  low  for  cultivation.  South  of  the  former,  the  land 
having  been  greatly  injured  by  earthquakes,  has  been 
abandoned.  The  Big  Praira,  eight  miles  long  and  four 
broad,  commences  14  miles  north  of  New-Madrid. — 
Clusters  of  trees  here,  resembling  islands  in  the  ocean, 
are  to  be  seen,  environed  by  lands  in  a  high  state  of  im- 


im^2 


S9a 


MISSOURI    TERRITORY. 


provemeiit.  Tlie  soil  is  abundantly  productive  of  cot- 
ton, sir  all  giains,  various  kinds  of  fruit.  North  of  tlie 
praira,  the  surface  exhibits  a  complete  champaign,  cover- 
ed with  stately  oaks,  walnut,  mulberry  and  honey  locust, 
(a  considerable  space  covered  with  shrubbery,  without 
high  trees,  being  by  itself,)  the  trees  thinly  set,  and  of  a 
regular  distance  as  though  planted  by  art.  Within  the 
same  description  may  be  included,  as  it  respects  growth 
and  surface,  the  range  of  country  lying  southwest,  to- 
wards White  river.  Cape  Girardeau  is  one  of  the  most 
flourishing  settlements  on  the  western  waters,  extending 
westward,  a  distance  from  the  ?.Iississippi  exceeding  60 
miles. 

The  county  of  St.  Louis,  which  lies  on  the  Mississip- 
pi, between  Cape  Giraixleau  District  and  Missouri  river, 
extending  west  beyond  the  mouth  of  t!ie  Osage,  is  partly 
rolling  and  partly  hilly,  in  the  eastern  section.  For  six 
miles  around  the  town  of  St.  Louis  are  open  prairas,  of 
which  the  surface  is  handsome  but  the  soil  is  ordinary ; 
on  approaching  the  Florissant  Valley,  which  occurs  a- 
bout  twelve  miles  from  St.  Louis,  the  soil  is  excel- 
lent. Here  the  prospect  presented  to  the  eye  is  delight- 
ful, and  itie  situation  healthy.  The  middle  of  the  county 
is  alternately  rolling  and  hilly,  consisting  of  excellent 
second  rate  praira.  The  valleys  are  occupied  with  rich 
bottoms,  rarely  flooded,  affording  several  good  mill  seats. 
The  western  part  is  open,  rich  praira,  conveniently 
skirted  with  valuable  timber.  The  middle  and  western 
parts  are  abundant  in  lead  and  iron  ore ;  and  within  20 
miles  of  St.  Louis,  it  is  said,  that  considerable  quantities 
of  tin  have  been  discovered. 

The  streams  which  traverse  this  county,  flow  to  the 
Mississippi  and  Missouri,  in  order  as  nanied,  proceeding 


MISSOURI    TERRITORY. 


293 


n 


upwards,  viz.  The  Maramack,  which  is  bordered  by  the 
lead  mineral  region,  enters  the  former  great  rivei  18  miles 
below  St.  Louis ;  is  navigable  300  miles,  winding  its 
course  eastwardly  through  a  country  of  valuable  lands. 
The  Big  river^  Bourbons,  and  JS'^egro  Fork,  are  branches 
of  this  river.  The  following  enter  the  Missouri  :  the 
Bonne  Ilomme,  and  the  Gasconade.  The  latter  is  dis- 
charged 100  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri,  and 
is  navigable  100  miles.  On  its  banks  are  numerous  salt 
petre  caves,  and  the  bordering  lands  abound  in  lead  ore. 
Lumber  is  transported  down  this  river,  a  distance  of  60 
miles. 

The  Osage,  which  is  navigable  600  miles,  joins  the 
Missouri  133  miles  from  the  Mississippi,  through  a 
mouth  397  yards  in  width.  The  confluence  of  the  Osage 
with  this  river  "s  in  latitude  38°  30'.  The  head  waters  of 
Osage  flow  from  a  ridy-e  whicli  feeds  some  of  the  branches 
of  the  Arkansaw ;  its  course  being  generally  eastwardly. 
An  eminence  near  the  mouth  affords  an  extensive  and 
delightful  prospect  of  the  adjacent  country.  The  prin- 
cipal branches  of  the  Osage,  are,  Mary's,  Big  Bones, 
Yangar,  Potatoe,  and  Grand  Fork  rivers. 

On  the  Yungar,  about  20  miles  from  the  Osage,  is  a 
remarkable  cascade,  90  feet  in  perpendicular  descent. 
To  this  river,  from  the  mouth  of  the  Osage,  a  distance 
by  water  of  more  than  16o  miles,  tlie  bank-  '  f  the  latter 
are  covered  with  a  rich  soil,  possess! nis;  a  growth  of 
handsome  timber  ;  the  country  adjacent  to  tiie  margins 
of  the  river  on  each  side,  t)eing  interspersed  with  rocky 
hills.  The  stream  of  the  Yungar  is  supposed  to  be  near- 
ly as  large  avi  the  Osage,  and  to  be  navigable  for  canoes, 
except  the  rapids,  100  miles.  The  country,  through 
whicli  it  meaaders,  is  remarkable  for  the  number  of  bears, 


S94 


MISSOURI   TERRITORY. 


which  range  in  its  woods.    After  passing  tlie  Yungar,  a 
few  miles  up,  is  a  pond  of  water  half  a  mile  in  circumfer- 
ence, about  four  rods  from  the  bank,  elevated  20  feeta- 
bove  the  surface  of  the  river,  apparently  on  a  sand  bank. 
The  first  appearance  of  praira  on  the  Osage,  is  at  the 
Park,  about  20  miles,  by  tlie  course  of  the  river  (which 
is  remarkably  crooked)  from  the  mouth  of  the  former. 
Here  the  country  displays  a  mixture  of  wood  and  praira 
land.    For  a  long  distance  is  a  bordering  cliff,  covered 
with  tall,  beautiful  cedars.     From  the  Park  to  the  Grand 
Fork,   which   flows  from  the  south,  supposed  by  water 
nearly  200  miles,  the  features  of  the  country  are  nearly 
the  same  as  last  above  described.    But  from  the  Grand 
Fork  to  the  Great  Osage  Village,  supposed  about  60 
miles,  the  praira  land  greatly  predominates.      About  9 
miles  by  land,  northeast  of  the  village,  the  east  bank  of  the 
river  is  an  entire  bed  of  stone  coal.     The  country  sur- 
rounding the  Great  Osage  village,  in  latitude  37°  north, 
is  covered  with  an  excellent  soil,  and  displays  a  charm- 
ing surface,  consisting  of  open  praira,  finely  diversified 
by  the  winding  courses  of  the  three  great  head  branches 
of  the  Osage,  meandering  through  the  vallies,  bordered 
by  a  wide  and  apparently  unlimited  expanse  of  gently 
rising  swells  and  sloping  lawns,  covered  with  grass  and 
numerous  flowers,  where    rapt  into  future   visions,  a 
sanguine  republican  patriot  might  behold  the  whole  fiice 
€f  the  country,  farther  than  the  eye  could  reach  from  the 
hills,  overspread  with  the  effects  of  the  productive  labor 
of  the  skilful  cultivatop— -neat  farm  houses  and  fencers, 
orchards  of  various  fruit  trees,  and  numerous  flocks  of 
every  species  of  domestic  animals,  and  groups  of  well 
built  villages  resounding  with  the  business  noise  of  the 
tradesman  and  mechanic 


MISSOURI    TERRITORY. 


S95 


cks  of 
)fweU 
ofth« 


A  surface  and  soil  similar  to  that  around  the  Osage 
village,  extends  (juite  to  the  sources  of  that  river — a  re- 
gion of  open  praira,  unlimited,  except  by  the  horizon,  to 
the  view  of  a  spectator ;  diversified  by  gentle,  broad  un- 
dulations of  surface,  possessing  a  rich  soil,  and  an  ample 
supply  of  good  water. 

The  following  are  the  towns  in  the  county  of  St.Louis: 
Belle  Fontaine,  four  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Mis- 
souri, and  fifteen  miles  north  of  St.  Louis.  Florissant, 
16  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri,  and  northwest 
from  St.  Louis.  Ilerculaneuni,  SO  miles  south  of  St.  Louis. 
JRogerstown,  40  miles  southwest  of  St.  Louis. 

St.  Louis,  the  chief  town  of  Missouri  Territory,  on  the 
west  bank  of  Mississippi,  15  miles  by  water  below  the 
junction  of  the  Missouri,  and  14  above  that  of  the  Mara- 
mack ;  distant  from  Washington  city  982  miles,  in  west 
longitude  11°  14',  latitude  38°  36'  north;  in  1810  con- 
tained 1600  inhabitants,  and  in  1819,  about  5,000.  The 
situation  of  the  town  is  high  and  pleasant,  being  a  gra- 
dual ascent  from  the  first  to  the  second  bank.  Three 
streets,  parallel  with  the  river,  are  intersected  by  a  num- 
ber of  others,  at  right  angles.  The  town  extends  upon 
the  river  two  miles.  The  highest  bank,  upon  which  the 
town  is  chiefly  built,  is  elevated  nearly  40  feet  above  the 
other,  affording  a  fine  view  of  the  town  and  river.  St. 
Louis  contains  a  Roman  Catholic  chapel,  a  theatre,  two 
banks,  and  two  printing  offices,  from  each  of  vrhich  issues 
a  weekly  newspaper.  The  ancient  houses  are  of  wood 
and  stone,  built  after  the  manner  of  the  French,  with 
large  gardens  appurtenant.  Those  lately  erected,  are 
in  the  American  style,  chiefly  built  with  brick ;  some  of 
which  are  elegant.    This  town  ivas  first  settled  in  1764. 


syo 


MISSOURI    TERRITOUY. 


Its  site,  in  two  respects,  13  very  important: — I.  Being 
near  the  outlet  of  three  great  rivers,  flowing  from  differ- 
ent points,  each  of  wl\ich  water  a  great  extent  of  fertile 
country.  2.  Occuj)ying  a  more  central  position,  as  it 
respects  territory,  than  any  considerable  town  in  tlie  U. 
States.  St.  Louis  progresses  fast  in  commerce  and  po- 
pulation, and  will  probably  be  one  of  the  largest  towns 
in  the  Union. 

From  the  town  of  Ilerculaneum,  on  the  west  bank  of 
the  Mississippi,  30  miles  south  of  St.  Louis,  to  St.  Gene-' 
vieve,  the  land  on  the  river  is  hilly,  and  of  a  thin  soil ; 
thence  to  the  Saline,  second  rate,  excepting  a  spacious 
lil^rh  bottom,  contiiiuous  to  St.  Genevieve,  containing 
nearly  10,000  acres,  which  is  of  an  excellent  quality. — 
Beyond,  the  hills  approach  the  river,  bordering  it  for  8 
miles  ;  thence,  receding  from  one  to  three  miles,  leaves  a 
fine  bottom,  called  Bois  Brule,  above  the  reach  of  high 
waters,  to  Apple  creek,  being  a  distance  of  20  miles. 

The  tract  called  the  Batren  Settlement,  has  a  good 
second  rate  soil ;  is  high,  well  watered,  well  timbered, 
and  productive  of  the  small  grains ;  being  occupied  by  a 
number  of  industrious  farmers.  Southwest  of  Genevieve, 
for  10  or  15  miles,  though  supplied  with  wood  and  wa- 
ter, and  producing  moderate  crops  of  grain,  the  lands 
are  ordinary.     In  this  region  lead  and  coal  are  abundant. 

The  lands  watered  by  Big  river,  a  branch  of  the  Mara- 
mack,  possess  a  good  soil,  and  are  suitable  for  cultiva- 
tion :  thence  to  Potosi,  tiie  country  is  hilly ;  further  west, 
the  land  is  good,  supplied  with  wood  and  water.  Belle' 
vue  settlement,  lying  south  of  F'otosi,  contains  a  large 
body  of  excellent  land.  There  arc  valuable  mill  seats 
in  this  tract        •  '     .  '* 


MISSOURI   TERRITORY.  297 

In  describing  the  rivers  which  enter  the  Mississippi 
on  the  west  side,  we  have  remarked,  that  the  lands,  be- 
tween the  mouth  of  the  Missouri,  and  a  d.' stance  of  more 
than  a  hundred  miles  above,  on  the  Mississippi,  are  good. 
"Within  the  above  space,  the  ascent  generally  is  gradual 
to  the  summit  of  the  hills,  which  are  well  supplied  with 
wood  and  beautiful  springs  of  water.  Between  the  river 
and  the  hills,  much  of  the  space  is  occupied  with  rich 
praira  bottoms ;  by  connecting  which  with  the  high  lands, 
pleasant  sites  for  farms  are  afforded.  Numerous  small 
streams  of  water  flow  through  those  lands.  Northwest 
from  the  town  of  St.  Charles,  the  lands  for  a  considerable 
extent,  are  of  an  excellent  quality,  and  conveniently  in- 
termixed with  wood  land  and  praira. 

Tliat  tract  of  country  which  is  included  within  the 
limits  of  Howard,  county,  is  bounded  east  by  the  county 
of  St.  Charles,  (the  tract  last  described)  being,  by  a  line 
extended  from  the  Missouri,  a  few  miles  above  the  Osage, 
perpendicularly,  to  the  northern  Indian  boundary ;  on 
the  north  and  west  by  the  Indian  boundary  lines ;  and  on 
the  south  by  the  river  Osage.  The  bottom  lands  within 
these  limits,  on  the  Missouri,  are  from  one  to  three  miles 
wide;  the  upland  is  well  elevated,  covered  with  a  rich 
soil,  and  possesses  a  handsome  growth  of  timber,  inclu- 
ding great  numbers  of  sugar  trees,  and  is  intersected  by 
many  small  streams,  which  enter  the  Missouri.  Of  this 
Vole  county,  which  contains  30,000  square  miles,  the 
one  half  is  first  rate  soil,  presenting  beautiful  sites  for 
farms,  on  which  settlements  are  making  with  almost  un- 
exampled rapidity.  Some  parts  are  so  rolling,  as  to  be 
considerably  washed  by  rains,  and  others  are  not  suffi- 
ciently supplied  witli  good  springs  of  water.    The  por- 


298 


MISSOURI    TERRITORY. 


tion  best  adapted  to  cultivation,  extends  back  from  the 
Missouri  from  15  to  SO  miles;  beyond,  the  surface  con- 
sists mostly  of  a  broad  expanse  of  open  praira,  mucli  of 
which  possesses  a  thin  soil.  On  the  south  side,  lar«j:;e 
spaces  are  broken  into  high  broad  hills,  interspersed  with 
tracts  of  level,  ricli  land.  Here  three-fifths  of  the  coun- 
try may  be  reckoned  as  praira.  At  the  junction  of  Grand 
river  with  the  Missouri,  an  elevated  plain  affords  a  de- 
lightful situation  for  a  town.  Between  this  river  and 
Snake  creek,  the  surface  is  elevated  and  rich ;  being  co- 
vered by  a  beautiful  growth  of  timber. 

Howard  county  embraces  the  settlements  of  Boon's 
Lick,  and  also  500,000  acres  for  military  bounties.  These 
bounty  lands  are  situated  about  215  miles  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Missouri,  west  of,  and  adjacent  to.  Boon's  Lick 
settlement.  They  extend  to  the  north  bank,  and  border 
on  a  bow  of  tliat  river.  This,  taken  as  a  body,  is  esteem- 
ed an  excellent  tract  of  land.  The  surface  generally  is 
rolling,  and  the  soil  rich ;  near  the  streams  (of  which 
there  are  several  that  traverse  it)  the  land  is  well  timber- 
ed. On  and  near  tlie  rivers,  the  prairas  are  few  and  of  a 
moderate  extent.  Proceeding  from  the  rivers,  from  10 
to  25  miles,  ramifications  of  the  great  open  praira  are 
found,  where  springs  of  water  or  trees  are  rarely  to  be 
met  with.  Westwardly  of  the  Bounty  lands  is  situated 
the  90  mile  praira,  narrow  in  width,  extending  up,  nearly 
parallel  with  the  river,  and  separated  from  it  by  a  consi- 
derable space  of  good  land,  partly  bottoHi,  well  supplied 
with  timber.  On  this  praira  is  a  handsome  lake,  strong- 
ly impregnated  with  salt,  in  width  from  150  to  SOO  rods, 
an''  in  length  from  three  to  four  miles ;  fo-  ^ned  by  springs, 
and  communicating,  by  a  small  outlet,  with  the  Missouri. 


MISSOLHI    TEIHIITORV. 


299 


Streams  flowing  throggh  the  county  of  Howard,  are, 
branches  of  Wjaconda  and  of  Salt  river,  and  branches  of 
the  Missouri ;  such  as  Cedar  creek,  Roche  Fere,  Mari- 
teau  creek,  having  many  licks  and  springs  of  salt  water ; 
Bonne  Femnie,  navigable  several  leagues  ;  Hurricane,  be- 
tween which  and  the  latter  are  Boon's  saltworks  ;  First 
Charitan,  navigable  50  miles,  from  the  northeast  ;  Se- 
cond Cliaritan,  from  the  same  point,  navigable  100  miles. 
Grand  river,  navigable  for  600  miles,  empties  from  the 
northeast  ;  Moreau  from  the  southwest ;  Mine  river,  na- 
vigable 40  miles,  from  the  southwest.  A  branch  of  this 
river,  strongly  saturated  with  salt,  is  navigable  for  boats 
through  tiie  county.  Lead  ore  is  abundant  on  this  river. 
vSeveral  other  smaller  streams  intersect  the  country,  as 
yet  but  imperfectly  explored. 

In  1818,  Missouri  territory,  exclusive  of  Arkansa\r 
and  Lawrence,  embraced  seven  counties,  which,  with 
their  respective  chief  towns,  being  seats  of  justice,  arc 
exhibited  in  the  following  table  : 


Counties. 
New-Madrid 
Cape  Girardeau 
St.  Genevieve 
Washington 
St.  Louis 
St.  Charles 
Howard 


Chief  towns. 

Winchester 

Jackson 

St.  Genevieve 

Potosi 

St.  Louis 

St.  Charles 

Franklin 


rings, 
souri. 


The  present  population  is  estimated  at  about  50,000. 

New-Madrid  is  35  miles  south  of  Cape  Girardeau,  and 
148  south  of  St.  Louis.  Winchester  is  22  miles,  north 
of  New-Madrid.  Cape  Girardeau  is  93  miles  south  of 
St.  Louis,  and  20  above  the  mouth  of  Ohio.  Jackson,  12 
miles  northwest  from  Cape  Girardeau,  and  102  from  St. 


300 


MISSOT.jn    TEUlllTORY. 


Louis.  Potosi,  formerly  called  Mine-a-i3erton,  is  CO 
miles  south-southwest  from  St.  Louis,  and  about  45  west 
of  St.  Genevieve.  New-Bourbon,  5S  miles  south  tVou) 
St.  Louis.  St.  Michaels,  50  southwest  of  St.  Genevieve. 
Madinsborou^jh,  15  miles  south  of  Genevieve.  St.Charles 
en  the  north  side  of  the  Missouri,  18  miles  northwest  ol 
St.  Louis.  Marthasville,  40  miles  west  of  St.  Charles. 
Portage,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  24  miles 
noi'th  of  St.  Loui^..  Charlotte,  on  the  north  bank  of  the 
Missouri,  40  miles  above  St.  Charles.  Franklin,  on  the 
north  bank  of  Missouri  river.  Chariton,  on  the  north 
bank  of  tlie  Missouri,  20  miles  west  of  Franklin. 

The  principal  large  rivers,  which  remain  to  be  descri- 
bed, are,  the  Kansas,  La  Platte,  and  the  Fellow  Stone* 

The  Kansas,  which  is  one  of  the  finest  tributaries  of 
the  Missouri,  entering  650  miles  above  its  mouth,  finds 
its  head  sources,  which  are  numerous,  between  the  Ar- 
k  nsaw  and  La  Platte.  It  is  navigable  for  1200  miles; 
the  adjacent  country,  which  is  but  partially  known,  is 
generally  praira,  and  its  course  in  many  places  is  bor- 
dered by  high  cliffs  of  solid  gypsum. 

La  Platte,  330  miles  above  the  Kansas,  being  about 
2000  miles  in  extent,  is  the  longest  and  the  largest  stream 
which  pays  tribute  to  the  Missouri.  But  the  current  is 
so  choaked  generally  with  extended  Deds  of  quicksands, 
as  to  render  it  almost  useless  for  navigation.  Several 
beautiful  rivers,  however,  which  enter  it,  have  navigable 
waters  for  a  considerable  extent.  The  country  watered 
by  this  river  is  but  little  known. 

Th«  Yelloii^  Stone,  next  in  size  and  extent  to  the  La 
Platte,  enters  the  Missouri  1880  miles  upo  Its  current 
flows  like  a  torrent,  bearing  down  an  immense  body  of 
turbid  waters. 


AflSSOUUI    TEUHITORV. 


301 


The  following  table  presents  a  compendious,  thoiigli 
incomplete  view  of  the  numerous  tributaries  to  the 
Missouri,  above  the  Grand  river : 
KdnsaSf  navigable  1200  miles,  southwest  side. 
JAttle  Platte,  navigable  40  miles,  northeast  side. 
JK^odawa,  navigable  60  miles,  northeast  side. 
La  Platte,  southwest  side ;  more  than  2000  miles  long ; 

but  almost  impassable  with  water  craft. 
Floyd's  river. 

Big  Sioux,  navigable  200  miles. 
White  Stone, 

River  a  Jaque,  nav.  300  miles ;  a  rendezvous  for  traders. 
flui  Courre,  s.  w.  a  beautiful  river,  navigable  not  far  up. 
Poncas,  southwest  side. 
White  river,  navigable  600  miles,  s.  w.  A  large  beautiful 

river,  300  yards  wide  at  its  mouth ;  branches  unknown. 
Tyler's  river, 
Chienne  river,  navigable  800  miles,  s.  w.  not  well  known; 

400  yards  wide  at  its  mouth. 
Serwarserna,  southwest  side. 
Winipenhu,  southwest  side. 
Cannon  Ball,  southwest  side ;  140  yards  wide. 
Ekife  river,  southwest  side ;  near  the  Mandan  villages. 
Little  Missouri,  s.  w.  134  yards  wide ;  not  navigable. 
Goose  river,  300  yards  wide. 
White  Earth,  northeast  side. 
Fellow  Stone,  s.  w.  855  yards  wide  at  its  mouth ;  a  good 

depth,  but  very  rapid. 
Porcupine,  northeast  side ;  112  yards  wide. 
Dry  river,  southwest  side ;  100      do. 
Big  Dry  river,      do.  400      do. 

Muscle-shell  river^do,  100      do. 

Big  Home,  do.  ioo      do, 

B  b 


J 


ao® 


MISSOURI  TERRITORY. 


Manoles,  southwegt  side ;  100  yards  wide. 

Fancy  river,  do.  180      do. 

Dearhome. 

Marittt  northeast  side. 

Jefferson  Fork,  navigable  96  miles. 

Madison,  do.        80    do. 

Gallatin,  do.        60    do. 

Principal  tributaries  of  the  Yellow  Stone  river,  are — 
Big  Home,  Tongue  river,  and  Lewis's  river.  The  Kansas 
has  Smoke-hill  Fork,  Grand  Saline,  Solomon's  Fork,  and 
Republican  Fork,  for  its  tributaries.  And  La  Platte  has 
Filkhorn,  400  yards  in  width ;  Wolf  river,  600,  and  the 
Padoncas.  Each  of  these  large  rivers  receive  tribute 
from  numerous  smaller  streams.  To  complete  this  im- 
perfect sketch  of  ^e  numerous  streams  tiiat  contribute 
to  form  the  majestic  current  of  the  Missouri,  would  re- 
quire the  scientific  research  and  itinerant  labors  of  years. 


■'it' 


SKETCHES  OF  THE  COUNTRY, 

WATERED  BY 

COLUMBIA  RIVER, 

AND  ITS  TRIBUTARY  STREAMS. 


Of  that  portion  of  the  territory  claimed  bj  tke  United 
States,  between  the  Rocky  mountains  and  the  Pacific 
ocean,  little  is  yet  known,  except  what  has  been  collect- 
ed from  the  travels  of  Lewis  and  Clark.  Their  re- 
searches were,  however,  necessarily  very  limited,  beii^ 
principally  confined  to  the  banks  of  the  Columbia  and 
its  tributaries. 

According  to  the  boundary  specified  in  the  late  project 
for  a  treaty  witli  Spain,  this  tract  is  bounded  west  by 
the  Pacific  ocean ;  north  by  the  parallel  of  49°  latitude ; 
east  by  the  mountains  which  separate  the  head  waters  of 
the  Missouri  from  those  of  the  Columbia.  The  extent 
is  in  length  about  300  miles,  in  breadth  500,  containing 
400,000  square  miles.  The  sea  coast,  unlike  that  of  the 
Atlantic,  opens  no  great  bays,  or  mouths  of  lat^e  navi- 
gable rivers,  except  the  Columbia,  to  aid  the  transpor- 
tation of  agricultural  productions,  and  to  facilitate  com- 
merce. That  great  river,  with-  its  four  great  branches, 
spreads  out  in  different  directions,  to  a  vast  extent, 
drains  this  spacious  region,  besides  extending  some  of 
its  ramifications  far  beyond,  both  to  the  north  and  south. 


aai 


COLUMBIA   RIVER. 


The  northern  branch,  which  retains  the  name  of  Co- 
lumbia,  draws  its  head  wafers  from  uear  the  IVo/eu 
ocean.  ClovL's  river,  interlocking  with  tlie  head 
streams  of  the  Missouri,  of  whicli  s^yme  of  the  extremi- 
ties of  each  are  separated  by  a  8j»ace  less  than  300  rods, 
flows  in  a  broad  circuitous  route,  in  tiic  form  of  a  half 
circle,  a  Utile  flatted,  and  disembogues  into  the  Colum- 
bia about  the  lat-tode  of  48°. 

Lewis's  rivw  rises  near  the  source  of  the  Yellow 
Stone,  and  winding  its  long  route  in  a  course  more  an- 
gular, meets  the  main  river,  about  180  miles  below  the 
former  junction,  in  latitude  4G°.  The  eastern  branch, 
by  the  name  of  JSIidtnmnack,  drains  its  hea<l  waters 
from  the  same  mountain,  which  gives  rise  to  two  other 
great  rivers— the  La  Platte,  and  the  Colorado  of  Cala- 
fornia,  that  flow  to  dift'erent  oceans,  3000  miles  apart. 
The  Multnomack  unites  with  the  Columbia,  through  a 
inouth  500  yards  broad,  in  latitude  45®  20' ;  from 
whence  the  latter,  which  is  here  more  than  a  mile  wide, 
after  flowing  al)out  100  miles,  still  widening  in  its  pro- 
gress, to  a  space  of  five  riiiles,  pours  its  multitude  of 
waters  into  the  Pacific  ocean,  in  the  latitude  of  46°  15'. 
This  river  is  navigable  200  miles  from  the  ocean,  with- 
out any  obstruction  ;  beyond  that  distance,  are  several 
precipitous  i:apids :  here  it  is  one  mile  in  width.  Both 
this  river,  and  all  its  tributaries,  are  most  abundantly 
supplied  ^vith  salmon,  and  various  other  kinds  of  fish. 

About  106  miles  from  the  sea  coast,  a  ridge  of  moun- 
tains extends  parallel  therewith,  on  each  side  of  the 
Columbia,  north  and  south,  for  several  hundred  miles ; 
and  between  this  ridge  and  the  Rocky  mountains,  the 
country  is  extremely  broken  and  hilly,  but  occasionally 
interspersed  with  beautiful  rich  valleys ;  a  large  portion 


COLUMBIA    RIVER. 


305 


of  the  whole  surface  being  almost  destitute  of  wood* 
Here  are  many  fine  streams  of  water,  and  much  of  the 
country  js  well  adapted  tu  the  raising  of  cattle  and 
sheep.  Of  the  latter  a  species  running  wild  in  the  woods 
are  sometimes  found  with  fieeces  of  beautiful  fine  wool. 
In  many  places  clover,  timothy,  flax,  currants  and  straw- 
berries grow  spontaneously. 

Columbia  valley,  west  of  the  lowest  rapids,  is  said  to 
be  many  miles  wide,  and  70  miles  in  length.  It  is  repre- 
sented as  veiy  beautiful,  possessing  a  rich  soil,  and 
much  of  it  shaded  by  fine  groves  of  timber.  The  cli- 
mate on  the  sea  coast  is  stated  to  be  incommoded  with 
excess  of  moisture  in  the  atmosphere,  and  drenching 
rains,  throjgh  the  winter  season.  Farther  to  the  east, 
the  climate  is  pleasant,  being  much  milder  than  the  same 
parallel  of  latitude  on  the  shores  of  the  Atlantic. 

The  Indians  are  extremely  numerous  on  the  waters  of 
the  Columbia,  being  supposed  to  amount  to  nearly 
100,000. 

Bb2 


CONCLUSION. 


In  a  geographical  description  of  that  immense  region, 
which  engrossed  our  attention,  so  vast  and  multifarious 
were  the  objects  of  our  pursuit,  that  although  we  havv 
extended  our  excursions  and  enquiries  widely  and  va- 
riously, often  with  particularity,  we  have  been  compelled 
to  borrow  light  from  guides,  who  traversed  the  country 
before  us.  Where  our  materials  for  completing  the  work 
-seemed  deficient,  we  have  had  recourse  for  information, 
to  the  travels  of  Lewis  and  Clark,  Brackenridge's  View 
of  Louisiana,  Pike's  Journal,  Drake's  Picture  of  Cincin- 
nati, Kilboura's  Ohio  Gazetteer,  Darby's  Emigrant's 
Guide,  and  Worcester's  United  States'  Gazetteer, — 
beside  some  other  publications  of  less  notoriety. 

Our  aim  has  been,  diligence  in  research,  and  fidelity 
in  description.  But  we  have  not  attempted  what  was 
not  possible  to  accomplish,— >precise  geographical  de- 
tails of  the  unfreqaented  parts  of  the  country ;  which 
notwithstanding  the  labours  of  many  ingenious  men,  re- 
main, as  yet,  but  imperfectly  known. 


Vi 


region, 
farious 
B  havv 
,nd  va- 
ipelled 
ountry 
e  work 
[nation, 
B  View 
Dincin- 
grant's 
teer,— 

r  I 

idelity 

at  was 

al  de- 

which 

len,  re- 


C0RRECTI0N9  AND  ADDITIONS. 

Page    5,  line  13,  for  eaatemy  read  vestem, 

— —    6,  —     7 ,  for -westward,  re&d  east-ward. 
>  "  20,  —     9  from  bottom,  omit  as. 

'■  ■  ■  60,  bottom  line,  after  each^  add,  sovereigjn  state  forms  a  kind  of 
barrier  to  the  powerful  iafliucnce  of  a  popular,  in- 
triguing demagogue,  which  seldom  extends  beyond 
the  limits  of  his  own  state. 

— —  64,  line    3,  for  compendious,  read  comprehensive, 

•         68,  —     4  from  bottom,  for  west,  read  east. 

— <137,  —    14  — —   — —    between  they  and  are,  add  nof, 

— ^-»  id.    —    12  — •   — —    betv,een  or  and  salutary,  insert  to  be. 

——214,  bottom  line,  after  borderiiig  on,  add  the  GiUf  coast. 


PUBLIC  ROADS. 


From  Eastport,  in  the  District  ofMainey  to  Astoria,  at 
the  mouth  of  Columbia  rivevt  on  the  Pacijic  ocean,  by 
Portland,  Hartford,  J^ew-Haven,  J^ew-Yorky  Philadel- 
phia, Baltimore,  Washington,  Frankfort,  K,  Louisville, 
Vincennes,  Ind*  St,  Louis,  by  the  river  Missouri. 


Eastport  ferry. 

Me.          4 

North  Yarmoutl 

I               7 

Dennysville 

13 

Portland  12 

total  272 

East  falls  of  Machias      23  | 

Saco 

15 

Machias  6 

total  46 

K.ennebunk 

10 

Jonesboro 

9 

York 

18 

Columbia 

9 

Portsmouth.N.H.9  tot.324 

Steuben  20 

total  84 

Greenland 

5 

Goldsboro 

9 

Hampton 

7 

Sullivan 

•      7 

Merimack  bridg 

e  9  tot.  345 

Trenton 

6 

Newbury  port,  A' 

Is.              3 

Ellsworth  6 

total  112 

Rowley  8 

total  356 

Surry 

6 

Ipswich 
Hamilton 

4 

Blue  hill 

8 

4 

Buckstown  17 

total  143 

Windha  i 

2 

Prospect  landing             12 

Beverly 

4 

Belfast  6 

total  .161 

Salem  2 

total  S72 

Northport 

6 

Lvnn 
Cliarleston 

5 

Canaan 

5 

8 

Camden 

6 

Boston  1 

total  386 

Thomaston 

10 

Roxbury 

2 

Warren  5 

total  194 

N»wtoi> 

6 

Waldoboro 

7 

Fr^iminghara 

11 

Newcastle 

12 

Weslborough 

11 

Alna 

6 

Worcester  9 

total  425 

Wiscasset  5 

total  224 

Charlton,  Ct. 

13 

Woolwich 

8 

Sturbridge 

6 

Bath  5 

total  237 

StafTordpool 

15 

Brunswick 

7 

Tolland 

7 

Freeport 

9 

East  Hartford  14  total  480 

309 


7 

272 

15 

10 

18 

.324 

5 

7 

.345 

1   3 

356 

4 

i 

4 

72 

5 

8 

386 

2 

6 

11 

11 

425 

13 

6 

15 

7 

■480 


West  Hartford 

3 

Washington,  Ca.  6  toti 

il  821 

Berlin 

10 

George  to  "ill 

2 

Meridcri 

7 

Montgomery  c.  h.  Md. 

12 

Hew-Haven 

17 

Clarksburg; 

15 

Milfoid 

10 

Frederickstown 

15 

Stratford  4 

total  531 

Middletown ' 

9 

Bridi^eport 

4 

Boi'iisboroup-h 

6 

Fairfield 

4 

Hujrersto wn.  Pa.  1 2  tot.  890           ] 

Saugatuck 

6 

Messersburg 

16 

Norwalk 

3 

M*Connelsburg 

10 

Stanford  9 

total  557 

Crossing  of  Juniatta 
Bloody  Run 

14 

Greenwich 

5 

6 

Rye,N.Y. 

New-Rochelle 

5 

Bedford  b             total  944           i 

8 

ByonN,  foot  of  Allegany  23           J 

West  Farms 

7 

Somerset 

16 

Harlem 

4 

Green  sbu.rg 

35 

New-York  8 

total  594 

Pittsburg 

35 

Newark,  N.  J. 

10 

Cannonsburg 

18           1 

Elizabcthtown 

6 

Washington 

8            1 

Bridgetown 

5 

Wheeling,  V.  32  total  1106 

Woodbridge 

4 

St.  Claireville,  0. 

11            I 

N.  Brunswick  10  total  629 

Morristown 

^0            1 

Princeton 

18 

Washington  24  total 
Cambridge 

1151            f 

Trenton 

10 

10           i 

Bristol 

10 

Zanesville 

25           1 

Holmsburff,  Pa. 
Frankford 

10 

New-Lancaster 

36 

6 

Tarlton 

18 

Philadelphia  4 

total  687 

Chillicothe  16     total 

1256 

Darby 

n 

Bainbridge 

19 

Chester 

7 

West  Union 

38 

Naman's  creek 

5 

Ohio  river 

16           < 

Wilmington,D.7^tot.714i 

Maysville,  K.  1  total 

1330            \ 

Newport,  Md. 

4 

Washington 

4 

Christina 

5 

Blue  Licks 

20 

Elkton         .    . 

11 

Paris 

21           i 

Havre  de  Grace 

17 

Lexington  22     total 
Frankfort 

1397    •     I 

Hartford 

11 

24          1 

Joppa  cross  roads              6 

ShelbvviUe 
Middleton 

19 

Baltimore  14 

total  782 

20 

Bridge  overPetapsco  river  4 

Louisville,0.fallsl2  to.l472        1 

Vansvillc 

21 

JeiTersonville,  Ind. 

2           J 

Bladensburgh 

8 

Knobs  5             total  1479          % 

310 


Beecli  creek  7 

Indian  creek  6 

Blue  river  12 

Sullivan's  Springs  17 

Little  Blue  river  3 

Big  Lick  8 

Petokal  creek  9 

Mud-holes  10 

Muddy  creek  10 

White  oak  springs  8 

White  river  6 

Vincennesie     total  li>% 

Embarras  river,  II.  10.} 

Higgin's          -  10^ 

Delong'9  12 

Ruddyford's  20 

Brimberry's  17 

Piles's  20 

Carlisle  26 

Cahokia  50 
8t.Louis,Mo.T.3i  tot.l772J 

St  Charles  20 

Charette  46 

Gasconade  32 

Lead  Mine  Hill  20 

Saline  river  20 

Good-woman  river  8 

Mine  river  7 

tlharlton  river  24 
Old  fort  Orleans,  15  to.l964 

Orand  river  4 

Coal  bank  85 

Bl^e  water  river  9 

Kjlisas  river  8 

little  Plate  river  9 

Nodawa  river  100 

JBITolf  ri  ver  14 

3Wg  Nemaka  river  15 

Little  Nemaka  river  S3 
Bi^late  river  87  total  2328 


Maha  villa^  (Indians)  235 

Big  Sioux  nver  17 

Jaques  or  James  river      97 

Calumet  Bluff     ^  10 

Ancient  fortification        17 

total  2704 

Penca  river  and  village    22 

White  river  122 

Teton  river  133 

Chayenne  river  46 

Weta  Boo  river  111 

Cannon  ball  river  76 

FortMandan,  101  total  3315 

Little  Missouri  91 

Yellow  Stone  river        189 

total  3595 

Mathers  river  61 

Porcupine  river  50 

Little  Dry  river  5S 

Milk  river  44 

Big  river  25 

BralUns  river  97 

Muscle  hill  river  56 

Judith  river  171 

Slaughter  river  25 

St.!^r^'8river68,total  4245 

Snow  river  17 

Shield  river  28 

Portage  river  7. 

Great  falls  6 

Head  of  falls  12,  total  4315 

Chippewan  mountains     31 

Head  sources  of  Mis80uri64 

total  4410 

It  is  not  more  than  a 

mile  from  the  head 

spring  of  Missouri 

to  the  head  of  one  of 

the  branches  of  the 

Columbia. 

South  branch  of  Columbia76 

total  4486 


311 


235 

17 

97 

10 

17  . 
2704 

2£ 

122 

133 

46 

111 

76 

3315 

91 

189 
3595 
61 
SO 
58 
44 
d5 

W 

56 
171 

25 
4245 

17 

^8 
T 
% 
4315 

31 
uri64 
4410 


Foot  of  the  great  ran 


12 


ISO 


mountains,  east  side 
Foot  of  the  Rocky  > 
mountains,  west  side  3 
Flat-head  Indian  village  3 
total  4631 
Kookooske  river  18 

Canoe  camp,  Forks  of 

Colui.ibia 
Kimoo-enem  60 

North  branch  of  the  "J 

treat  Columbia  or  v   140 
iewis's  river        \ 

total  4855 
Mouth  of  Snake  river    162 
Great  falls  of  Columbia      6 
total  5023 
Short  Narrows  3 

Long      do.  4 

Mouth  of  Cataract  riyer  23 
Grand  Schute,last  rapids  42 


Strawberry  Islands  6 

Mouth  Quicksand  river    26 
Shallow  bay  (salt  water)  136i 
total  526S 
Here  the  tide  rises  from 

two  to  three  feet. 
Blustry  Point  13 

Columbia  Bay  3 

Clinkook  river  12 

Astoria,  on  Pacific  ocean  13 
total  5304 

Columbia  river  enters  the 
Pacific  ocean  in  lat.46°  19' 
N.  and  long.  47**  57'  W. 
according  to  observations 
taken  on  the  spot  by  Lewis 
and  Clarke.  Eastport,  in 
the  District  of  Maine,  is  in 
lat  44°  54'  N.  long.  lO*'  40' 
East. 


Ibia76 

14486 


From  Qt^e&ec,  Lower  Canada,  to  JSTew-Orleans,  by 
Montreal,  through  Lakes  Ontario,  Erie,  Hvmm  and 
Michigtm;  thmceup  the  Chicago,  and  over  the  Portage 
to,  and  down  the  river  Fhin,  a  Jiead  branch  of  the  Illi- 
nois, and  down  the  latter  to  the  Mississippi, 

Montreal,  L.  C. 
Kingston,  U.  C. 
Across  lake  Ontario  > 

to  Fort  Niagara    \ 
Falls  of  Niagara 
Lake  Erie 
Head  of  the  Lake 
Detroit  river 
Lake  St  Clair 
Lake  Huron 
Across  lake  Harem  > 

to  Fort  Mackinaw  > 


175  [Mackinaw  straits  37 

total  1164 
Across  lake  Michi-?    ^q 


180 
190 


8 
22 
280 
27 
39 
40 

166 


fan  toFortDearborn  J 
Tp  Chicago  river,Ind.    lOi 
Over  the  Portage  &~ 
up  the  Plein  to  the 
moction  with  the 
Theakiki,  the  main 
head   branches  of 
the  Illinois 

total 


>  151 


1460 


31S 


N.  E.  corner  of  Bounty ") 
Lands,  town.  15  N.  [.60 
range  10  E.  J 

Lake  Peoria,  Fort  Clarke  70 
total  1590 
Spoon  river  65 

Mouth  of  Crooked  creek  55 
.Macopen  creek  85 

Mouth  of  Illinois  SO 

total  1825 
St.  Louis  45  total  1870 
Mouth  of  Maramack  20 
Harrison  8 

Herculaneum  6 

Fort  Chartres  12 

St.  Genevieve  12  tot.  1928 
Kasksiskia  river,  II.  24 
Apple  creek  40 

Cape  Girardeau  18 

Great  Rocky  Bluff  11 

Mouth  of  Ohio  28  tot.  2049 
Iron  Banks  28 

N.  boundary  of  Tenn.  30 
New-Madrid  12  total  2119 


70 
12 

29 
30 

32  J 
28 


First  BluiT 
Second  Bluif 
Third  Bluff 
Fort  Pickering 
Council  island 
St.  Francis  river 
Horseshoe  bend 
Three  islands 
White  river 
Arkansaw  14  total  2405 
N.  boundary  Louisiana  101 
Starks  island  3 

Entrance  of  lake  Pro- 
vidence 
Yazoo  mouth  '41 

Walnut  HilU  14 

'Warren  16 


SO 
12 
36 


39 


Palmyra  bend  8 

Lower  end  of  do.  20 

Big  Black  13  total  2657 
Bayou  Pierre  12 

Petite  Gulf  9 

Coles  creek  13 

Fairchild's  island  7 

Efflux  Bayou  3 

Mouth  of  Shillings  1 

Natchez  5  total  2727 

White  Cliffs  11 

Mouth  of  Homochitta  40 
Mouth  of  Buffalo  river  9 
Fort  Adams  <8 

Mouth  of  Red  river         18 
total  2807 
Atchafalaya  3 

Three  sister  islands  9 

Bayou  Tomica  28 

Point  Ceupee  church  31 
Mouth  of  Homer's  creek  7 
Patoris  and  Lilly's  island  8 
Gen.  Wicors  10 

Baton  Rouge  8 

Efflux  of  Iberville  13 

Efflux  of  Plaquemine        8 
Church  of  St  Gabriel      10 
total  2942 
Donaldsonville  £6 

Gen.  Hampton's  6 

Bringre's  4 

Contrelles  two  Churches  8 
Fontine's  12 

Bonnel  quarry  Church    14 
Bonnel  quarry  point         5 
Red  church,  German  > 
coast  S 

total  3031 
Kenner's  6 

M'Carty's  8 

New-Orleans  6  total  3051 


14 


FINIS. 


8 
20 
2657 
12 
9 
13 
7 
3 
1 
2727 
11 
I     40 
!r      9 

18 

2807 
3 
9 
28 
I       31 
reek  7 
land  8 
10 
8 

13 
8 

a    10 

2942 
26 


:hes  8 
12 
ch    14 


.'.    S'. 


14 

3031 
6 
8 

3051 


.t  ^-^^ 


■p  .■ 


^wl 


